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Mangaluru: A 58-year-old woman from the city was duped of ₹1.8 crore after cyber criminals impersonating Mumbai Police officers trapped her in a high-pressure ‘digital arrest’ scam.

According to the complaint filed at the CEN Crime Police Station, the ordeal began on October 24 when she received a call around 2.45 pm from an unknown number. The caller claimed to be from the Colaba Police Station, Mumbai, and falsely accused her of involvement in a money-laundering and human-trafficking case, alleging that she had received commissions and was now a suspect.

Frightened by the serious accusations, the victim was instructed to join a video call to “cooperate with the investigation.” During the call, she was asked to write a letter and send it to the caller via WhatsApp, further deepening the illusion of an official inquiry.

Over the next interactions, two individuals—introducing themselves as police officers Vinod Rathod and Rajesh Mishra—continued questioning her through WhatsApp video calls. They demanded her personal details, bank information, and account balances, convincing her that her accounts needed to be “verified”.

On the following day, the scammers directed her to transfer money for “inspection” and assured that the funds would be returned after verification. They also warned her against sharing any details with anyone, threatening severe legal action if she disobeyed.

Terrified and believing she was under investigation, the woman transferred a total of ₹1.8 crore in multiple instalments via RTGS to several bank accounts between October 28 and November 11.

Realising she had been duped, she reported the matter, and a case has now been registered at the CEN Crime Police Station, which has launched an investigation.

Srinagar, Nov13: Security agencies have intensely focused their counter-terrorism operations back on Kashmir following the Red Fort car blast in Delhi and the massive explosives haul in Faridabad, which exposed a sophisticated "doctor-led terror module." The joint operation—involving the J&K Police, NIA, and intelligence agencies—is now aggressively pursuing the wider support network behind the arrests of highly educated professionals.

The core of the new strategy is to dismantle the 'white-collar terror ecosystem' by moving beyond physical arms and tracking the digital and financial connections of the accused.

The Widening Net in Kashmir

Multiple raids across Pulwama, Kulgam, Shopian, and Srinagar over the past three days have led to the detention and questioning of at least a dozen individuals. Those picked up include relatives and digital associates of the arrested doctors. Cyber units are forensically scanning seized mobile phones, laptops, and encrypted communication to map the network's digital footprint, which sources indicate involves platforms like Telegram and ProtonMail and covert fund transfers.

The crackdown follows the arrests of several medical professionals from Al-Falah University in Faridabad and the seizure of a huge cache of over 2,900 kg of explosives, firearms, and bomb-making material.

Key Accused: The Doctors of Doom

The investigation has centered on four doctors from the Kashmir Valley, who allegedly used their professional credentials as a cover:

•    Dr. Muzammil Ahmad Ganaie (Alleged Mastermind): A 35-year-old physician from Pulwama who taught MBBS students at Al-Falah University. Officials describe him as the principal planner. A raid on his Faridabad residence recovered 358 kg of suspected ammonium nitrate, an assault rifle, and detonators. His sister, Dr. Asmat Shakeel, is currently detained for questioning regarding financial and communication assistance.

•    Dr. Adeel Ahmad Rather (Logistics Handler): From Kulgam, this doctor was arrested in Saharanpur, UP, and is accused of coordinating the transport and concealment of explosives. Police previously recovered an AK-47 rifle from his locker at Government Medical College, Anantnag.

•    Dr. Umar Un Nabi (Suspected Executioner): The doctor from Pulwama is believed to have been driving the i20 car that exploded near Red Fort. DNA evidence confirmed his presence at the centre of the attack.

•    Dr. Nisar-ul-Hassan (Missing Link): A well-known Srinagar physician dismissed from government service in 2023 for alleged anti-state activities. He later joined Al-Falah University but has gone missing since the Delhi blast, deepening suspicions of his involvement.

The shift in focus—as one senior official put it—is a "digital mapping of the network that enabled professional radicalisation." Authorities stress that they are dealing with a sophisticated web of professionals who leveraged their education and social credibility for a terrorist agenda, signalling that the investigation into this "doctor-terror module" is far from complete. 

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Wednesday expressed his condolences to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the people of India over the tragic blast near Delhi's iconic Red Fort on Monday evening.

Benjamin Netanyahu has towered over Israeli politics for decades.

In a strongly worded statement, Netanyahu emphasised the unbreakable spirit of both nations in the face of terrorism, declaring that while terror may target cities, it can never break the spirit of resilient nations.

"To our dear friend Narendra Modi and to the brave people of India: Sara and I, and the people of Israel, send our deepest condolences to the families of the victims. Israel stands strong with you in sorrow and in strength in this time," the statement read.