New Delhi: Pakistan-based Jaish-e-Mohammed is reportedly preparing a suicide squad for a fresh attack on India and has begun collecting funds to support the operation, according to intelligence assessments. The group, which investigators have linked to the recent Red Fort car bomb blast, is believed to be using digital platforms to raise money and strengthen its active cells.
Preliminary findings from the Red Fort blast investigation indicate that Jaish leaders encouraged supporters to contribute using online payment apps, including a Pakistan-based platform called SadaPay. Security agencies also suspect the group may be planning a women-led attack, drawing on an existing women’s wing established after Indian military action known as Operation Sindoor weakened its bases in Bahawalpur.
One of the key suspects in the Red Fort case, Dr Shahina Saeed, allegedly known by the codename “Madam Surgeon,” is believed to be part of this unit, identified as Jamat ul-Muminat. She is suspected of handling financial logistics for the bombing.
The fundraising campaign appears to be framed as a religious duty, with Jaish leaders urging sympathisers to donate for a “winter kit” for fighters. The requested amount is around 20,000 Pakistani rupees, roughly INR 6,400, and is reportedly intended for basic equipment such as shoes, woollen socks, tents and mattresses. Intelligence sources say the objective is to ensure fast and discreet financial support reaches operational cells, including the 10-member “terror doctor” group suspected of executing the Red Fort attack.
The November 10 explosion, triggered by a car packed with explosives near the historic monument, killed 15 people. The vehicle was driven by Dr Umar Mohammad, who died in the blast. A video that emerged later shows him attempting to justify suicide attacks.
In parallel, fresh intelligence suggests a broader escalation in terror activity in Jammu and Kashmir, with both Jaish-e-Mohammed and Lashkar-e-Taiba mobilising for coordinated assaults. Agencies continue to examine the evolving strategies, leadership structures and recruitment methods of these Pakistan-backed organisations as investigations into the Red Fort network intensify.
