- Al-Falah University has made headlines after its doctors became suspects in Delhi blast
- Three doctors at the university were allegedly part of a Jaish-e-Mohammed terror module
- The university denies involvement beyond the professional ties with the accused staff members
Al-Falah University, a private institution located about 27 km from the Haryana-Delhi border, has come under national spotlight over the past few days owing to shocking developments that include a massive recovery of explosives and the blast near the iconic Red Fort that left nine people dead and shook the nation.
Over the past few days, scores of cops have frequented the university's campus in Faridabad's Dhauj and questioned 52 doctors there. The investigators are seeking information about Dr Muzammil Shakeel, Dr Shaheen Shahid, and Dr Umar Mohammed -- suspects who were allegedly running a Jaish-e-Mohammed terror module that amassed a huge amount of explosives and was planning a big attack in Delhi. This module has also been linked to the Old Delhi car explosion.
The university has expressed concern over "misleading stories" and denied "false and defamatory allegations". The management has said the university has no connection with the suspects apart from their professional link with the institution. The university's statement has also said there is no suspicious chemical on the university premises, contrary to what some reports suggested.
The University
Al-Falah University, sprawled over 70 acres in Faridabad's Dhauj, was established in 2014 and recognised by the higher education regulator, University Grants Commission, the next year. The university comes under the Al-Falah Charitable Trust, which was formed in 1995 and started an engineering college in 1997. The university has schools offering courses in medical science, engineering and technology, humanities, computer science, and education, among others.
Rs 74 Lakh Fee For MBBS Course
The Al-Falah School of Medical Sciences and Research Centre has been offering MBBS degrees since 2019. The medical college also has a 650-bed hospital attached to it. According to its website, it can enrol 200 students for the MBBS course. The university charges Rs 16.37 lakh each for the first four years of the course and Rs 9 lakh for the final year. This totals to Rs 74.50 lakh for the whole course. For each year in the hostel, the university charges Rs 3 lakh. Al Falah University has a significant number of Kashmiri students, with some estimates putting it at 40 per cent.
An Explosives Haul, And A Blast
Al-Falah University made headlines after a massive recovery of explosives from Faridabad. About 2,900 kg of bomb-making material, suspected to be ammonium nitrate, was found in rooms rented by Muzammil, a doctor associated with Al-Falah School of Medical Sciences and Research Centre, outside the campus. Another doctor at the medical college, Dr Shaheen, was arrested after assault rifles and other weapons were found in her car.
Hours after this news emerged, a car exploded near the Red Fort. The man driving it, reports say, was Dr Umar, also working at Al-Falah.
The University's Response
Al-Falah University's Vice Chancellor, Prof (Dr) Bhupinder Kaur Anand, has said the institution was "deeply saddened and anguished by the unfortunate developments that took place" and condemns them. "Our thoughts and prayers are with all the innocent people affected by these distressing events. We have also learnt that two of our doctors have been detained by the Investigating Agencies. We wish to make it clear that the University has no connection with the said persons apart from them being working in their official capacities with the University," the university's management has said.
