‘Ricin’ Poisoning: How Gujarat ATS Stopped a Mass Killing
Terrorists are now using new-silent methods like poisoning, which are hard to detect. The Gujarat case shows how dangerous such plans can be and why the public must stay alert.
Terror attacks are usually linked with bombs, guns, and airplanes. We remember big attacks like 9/11, 26/11, the 2006 Mumbai train blasts, and the 2001 Parliament attack. But terrorists today are also using new and silent methods that are much harder to detect. One such dangerous method was recently uncovered by the Gujarat Anti-Terrorist Squad (ATS).
On 8 November, the ATS arrested three people, including Dr. Ahmed Mohiuddin Saiyed, who completed his MBBS in China. He was arrested from his flat at Asad Manzil in Fort View Colony, Rajendranagar, Hyderabad. During the search, officers found several boxes filled with unknown chemicals and raw materials. Soon, they discovered he was trying to make Ricin, a deadly poison.
Ricin is a protein-based poison found in castor beans, which are widely grown in India. Castor beans contain 30–60% castor oil and about 1–5% ricin. According to Dr. Y.K. Gupta, former head of the National Poison Information Centre at AIIMS, extracting ricin is not difficult, and even a small amount mixed in food can kill an adult. There is also no specific treatment for ricin poisoning.
Dr. Saiyed planned to mix ricin in prasad or food at a public gathering to kill people in large numbers. He had even checked locations like the RSS office in Lucknow, Azadpur APMC market in Delhi, and Naroda fruit market in Ahmedabad. He was radicalised through social media and also ran a shawarma business while offering free medical consultations.
A similar case happened in 2019, when the Maharashtra ATS arrested five people in Mumbra, Thane, for planning to poison prasad at a temple and target water pipelines and large gatherings.
This shows that terrorists now use many methods beyond weapons, and it is important to stay alert.
Terror attacks are usually linked with bombs, guns, and airplanes. We remember big attacks like 9/11, 26/11, the 2006 Mumbai train blasts, and the 2001 Parliament attack. But terrorists today are also using new and silent methods that are much harder to detect. One such dangerous method was recently uncovered by the Gujarat Anti-Terrorist Squad (ATS).
On 8 November, the ATS arrested three people, including Dr. Ahmed Mohiuddin Saiyed, who completed his MBBS in China. He was arrested from his flat at Asad Manzil in Fort View Colony, Rajendranagar, Hyderabad. During the search, officers found several boxes filled with unknown chemicals and raw materials. Soon, they discovered he was trying to make Ricin, a deadly poison.
Ricin is a protein-based poison found in castor beans, which are widely grown in India. Castor beans contain 30–60% castor oil and about 1–5% ricin. According to Dr. Y.K. Gupta, former head of the National Poison Information Centre at AIIMS, extracting ricin is not difficult, and even a small amount mixed in food can kill an adult. There is also no specific treatment for ricin poisoning.
Dr. Saiyed planned to mix ricin in prasad or food at a public gathering to kill people in large numbers. He had even checked locations like the RSS office in Lucknow, Azadpur APMC market in Delhi, and Naroda fruit market in Ahmedabad. He was radicalised through social media and also ran a shawarma business while offering free medical consultations.
A similar case happened in 2019, when the Maharashtra ATS arrested five people in Mumbra, Thane, for planning to poison prasad at a temple and target water pipelines and large gatherings.
This shows that terrorists now use many methods beyond weapons, and it is important to stay alert.
