KANPUR: Investigators from Uttar Pradesh Anti-Terrorist Squad (ATS), central intelligence units, and district police are conducting an extensive search for 19 women from Kanpur and adjoining districts who were reportedly in contact with arrested Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) operative Dr Shaheen Shahid.Officials suspect that these women were radicalised or heavily influenced by her speeches, which authorities describe as provocative and manipulative.
According to sources, the ATS widened its search after retrieving digital evidence — including voice notes, videos, contact lists, and follow-up communication — indicating that Dr Shaheen maintained a structured outreach network targeting vulnerable women, especially those who were isolated, unemployed, or dealing with personal distress.Many of these women have switched off their phones, making tracking difficult. Investigators are now using address verification, tower dumps, bank trails and digital footprints to locate them. “We will soon identify these women. Once they are examined, Dr Shaheen’s full operation and support channels will come to light,” a senior officer privy to the investigation said.Sources said Dr Shaheen used her identity as a woman to create a “safe” psychological entry point for other women, gradually introducing them to radical content.Faculty members from Kanpur medical colleges claimed that Dr Shaheen consistently wore a ‘hijab’ while teaching despite repeated instructions from the administration to adhere to institutional dress norms. “She was rigid about her attire and identity. Discussions often escalated into disputes,” a senior professor said.Dr Shaheen completed her schooling in Lucknow and cleared CPMT with good marks. She joined Motilal Nehru Medical College, Prayagraj, for MBBS in 1996, completed her internship by 2002, and earned an MD in pharmacology.She initially secured an assistant professorship at GSVM Medical College, Kanpur, through the UPPSC in 2006-07. She was transferred to Kannauj Medical College in 2009-10 before returning to Kanpur in 2010.Her tenure was marked by frequent unexplained absences and abrupt foreign travel. After repeated warnings and disciplinary reviews, her employment was terminated in 2021.Officials said that locating 19 missing women could be crucial in mapping Dr Shaheen’s wider network, uncovering potential handlers, identifying recruitment chains, and assessing the extent of ideological indoctrination.
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