Dr. Mohammad Arif, a senior resident doctor in the Cardiology department at the LPS Institute of Cardiology & Cardiac Surgery in Kanpur, has been detained by the Uttar Pradesh Anti-Terrorist Squad (ATS) in connection with the recent Red Fort blast in Delhi. The arrest, linked to alleged associations with blast suspect Dr. Shaheen Saeed, has come as a shock to his colleagues, acquaintances, and landlords.

Dr. Abhishek, who shared a flat with Dr. Arif in Ashok Nagar, Kanpur, spoke to the media on Thursday, describing his flatmate as displaying no unusual behaviour following the blast. “There was no change in his behaviour after the blast,” said Dr. Abhishek. “He used to stay absolutely normal in the room, come to work, then return to his room. We were colleagues, not friends. He only told me about his father’s health, who was a cancer patient. I never heard the names of Dr. Shaheen or Dr. Parvez from him.”

Dr. Abhishek explained that the flat-sharing arrangement arose because resident doctors often rent private flats when hostel accommodations are unavailable. “Initially, when we came here, we did not get hostels, so we rented a flat. I got the flat through a broker, and we stayed there as colleagues. There was nothing suspicious about his conduct,” he said.

Landlord Confirms No Suspicious Activity

Kanhaiya Lal, the landlord of the flat where Dr. Arif stayed, corroborated that there were no indications of unusual or suspicious activity. Arif had been living there for less than a month with Dr. Abhishek and kept to himself. “He didn’t meet anyone. Two boys stayed here—Abhishek and Arif. A team of four people came to open his room lock to collect belongings. My son asked who they were, and after speaking with Arif, they were allowed access. Nothing about his stay seemed suspicious,” Lal told ANI.

College Authorities React

Dr. Rakesh Verma, Director of LPS Institute of Cardiology & Cardiac Surgery, emphasized that the institution would ensure comprehensive police verification of all employees. He described Dr. Arif as a “bright student” who had secured a very good rank and highlighted that he had been a senior resident in DM/MCh Cardiology since August. Dr. Awadhesh Sharma, a professor at the institute, noted that Dr. Arif had completed his duties on Wednesday evening before leaving the premises.

Investigation Context

The detention of Dr. Arif is part of an ongoing investigation into the Delhi Red Fort blast, which killed 12 people and left several others injured. Dr. Shaheen Saeed, previously arrested in connection with a Faridabad arms and explosives haul, is believed to have connections with individuals now under ATS scrutiny. On Thursday, a joint team of the Forensic Science Laboratory (FSL) and Delhi Police recovered a human body part near the blast site at New Lajpat Rai Market, as investigators continue to piece together the sequence of events and linkages between suspects.

While Dr. Arif’s colleagues and landlords maintain that he showed no unusual behaviour, authorities continue to investigate his potential involvement or connections with the terror module. The case underscores the complex challenge of balancing professional reputations and personal associations during ongoing criminal and counter-terrorism investigations.