Gujarat ATS nabs Hyderabad ricin plotter seeking South India split

Hyderabad resident Ahmed Mohiyuddin Saiyed, 35, arrested earlier this month by the Gujarat Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) in a suspected ricin terror plot, allegedly harboured plans to “separate south India from the rest of the country,” according to the FIR accessed by investigators. Saiyed, who studied medicine in China but reportedly failed the mandatory MCI screening exam, is quoted as telling his handler from the Islamic State Khorasan Province (ISKP) that he wanted funds and weapons to execute his objective.
According to ATS sources, Saiyed was employed as a medical consultant with a multinational firm, earning ₹90,000 a month, and also ran a small food venture. He was arrested along with two suspects from Uttar Pradesh in a wider probe into a planned terror strike. The FIR notes that Saiyed’s radicalisation accelerated nearly a year ago after he viewed disturbing videos on Telegram groups showing violence against members of his community. He reportedly responded with messages urging unity and called for support against what he described as “non-believers.”
The FIR states that Saiyed came in contact with Abu Khadija (@abuqasim00)—believed to be an ISKP handler based in Afghanistan—who sent him jihadi literature, videos, and speeches. Saiyed claimed he expressed his desire to “unite young Muslims in South India” and outlined his plan to create a separate region. Khadija allegedly appointed him the “amir of South India” and promised ₹2 crore to buy weapons. Acting on instructions, Saiyed travelled to Ahmedabad and collected Rs1 lakh. Khadija then reportedly briefed him on a plot to poison people using ricin and asked him to procure castor seeds.
Investigators said Saiyed bought 10 kg of castor seeds, extracted oil using a cold press machine, and mixed the leftover residue with acetone after researching ricin extraction techniques online. The ATS later seized approximately 4 kg of castor-bean mash and other material from his Hyderabad home. When Saiyed travelled to Ahmedabad again on November 7, allegedly following Khadija’s instructions to pick up a bag, he was intercepted near the Adalaj Toll Plaza. A search of his car revealed two Glock pistols, one Beretta pistol, 30 live cartridges, and 4 litres of castor oil, believed to be prepared for ricin extraction. The weapons were allegedly smuggled into Rajasthan from Pakistan via drones.Two alleged associates from Uttar Pradesh — Azad Suleman Sheikh and Mohammad Suhail Mohammad Saleem — were also arrested for dropping off the bag in Ahmedabad. The ATS says both are highly radicalised and linked to the larger conspiracy. Meanwhile, tensions escalated inside Sabarmati Central Jail on Tuesday when Saiyed was assaulted by three undertrials angered by his “anti-national activities.” ATS officials added that Saiyed’s family had distanced themselves due to his extremist views, and his wife left him months after marriage, leaving him socially isolated in the period leading up to his alleged involvement in the terror plot.

(State Correspondent)