Voices Anand Neelakantan Ravi Shankar Debashis Chatterjee Shampa Dhar-Kamath Gaurav Yadav Swami Sukhabodhananda MAGAZINE Buffet People Wellness Books Food Art & Culture Entertainment NEW DELHI november 16 2025 SUNDAY PAGES 12 Inside the Mind of the Urban Terrorist The Psychological Axis Belief that they’re serving a higher cause Educated people can build logical, convincing arguments for their beliefs. They see violence not as crime, but as duty—a rational step toward a “greater good” Delhi Red Fort Attack Devil’s Doctor Sense of power and control Being skilled, rich, or influential gives them confidence that they can make real change—even through violence. Their privilege makes them feel capable, not helpless Perceived injustice It’s not poverty but perception. They feel their group, religion, or culture is being humiliated or attacked. That grievance becomes personal and fuels revenge Moral justification They reframe killing as sacrifice, or a “necessary evil.” This helps them silence guilt and feel morally clean Echo chambers Online or intellectual circles reinforce extreme ideas. Surrounded by similar voices, their beliefs feel normal and even heroic Identity and ego They tie their self-worth to an ideology. Challenging their beliefs feels like attacking their identity. They’d rather destroy than admit they were wrong T By medha dutta yadav he alarm buzzes at 6.30 am. Dr X stretches, yawns, and grabs his phone, scrolling briefly through the news feed while sipping a meticulously brewed cappuccino. By 7, he is dressed in a crisp white coat, stethoscope slung around his neck, ready for a day at one of Delhi’s most prestigious medical colleges. To the world, he is the embodiment of success: disciplined, intelligent, socially engaged. But beneath the polished exterior lies another life—a world of encrypted chats, radical forums, and ideological debates that occupy his evenings and nights. For years, it was believed that knowledge, comfort, and status could inoculate a person against radical thought. Today, that illusion has crumbled. Dr Anjali Mehra, sociologist at Pune University, observes: “For decades, we assumed that education and socioeconomic stability would act as a buffer against extremism. What we are seeing now challenges that assumption. Radicalisation is no longer limited to those with nothing to lose; it is increasingly appealing to those who have everything society deems valuable—degrees, jobs, and social standing.” Somewhere, a newly minted IT engineer—let’s call him ‘ ’—begins A his day in perfect rhythm: morning stand-ups with the tech team, reviewing code commits, mentoring interns, and delivering client presentations. He laughs easily , shares memes on Instagram, and stays late to help debug a tricky issue—all with an extremist ideology lurking in the shadows. It’s a paradox: the same analytical mind that writes flawless code also deconstructs and reconstructs radical narratives with chilling precision. Prof. Rakesh Nair, political sociologist at Delhi University refers , to this as “white-collar terror.” “The rise of ‘white-collar terror’ is a reflection of how ideology has evolved to target intellect rather than desperation. These individuals are drawn not by poverty but by narratives that give them a sense of purpose, identity and moral , righteousness.” Both the aforementioned cases are textbook examples: affluent, educated, socially connect- ed—but drawn to a world of radical purpose that promises meaning and absolutes. Dr Shalini Kapoor, clinical psychologist, explains the psychology of such individuals: “They often exhibit a form of moral absolutism— they believe their actions are justified in the service of a higher cause. Their education and analytical skills can make them more methodical, disciplined, and harder to detect.” In discussions with peers, both A and X are charming, curious, and intellectually stimulating. Yet, under the surface, conversations sometimes take subtle ideological turns—questions about morality justice, and , societal “failures” become vehicles to rationalise violence. Dr Ritu Agarwal, social psychologist, notes: “Extremist networks now exploit the very qualities that society values— critical thinking, ambition, and curiosity Online platforms, encrypt. ed messaging, and peer influence allow these individuals to rationalise violence and normalise it within their own circles.” Their curiosity , once a source of academic excellence, now becomes a lens through which extremist narratives gain legitimacy . For example, ‘B’ is precisely that new paradigm: a man with everything society prizes, yet willing to embrace destruction in the name of ideology By midnight, he is still in . his faculty apartment on campus. The corridors outside are silent, but his mind refuses to rest. He pores over encrypted chat threads, exchanges long, coded messages with global networks, and debates tactics with unseen interlocutors who speak the same intellectual tongue. On his desk lie academic journals, revolutionary manifestos, and policy white papers—all annotated, cross-referenced, and fused into a worldview that feels both rational and moral. In his mind, violence is not chaos—it is correction. Not criminal—it is necessary . Dr Vinayak Menon, criminologist and security analyst, warns that traditional models of profiling extremists no longer hold. “In the past, you could profile potential extremists based on social marginalisation or economic disadvantage. That model no longer works. Today’s radicalised youth may be top of their class, financially independent, and socially integrated—yet ideologically committed to violence.” The faces of terror have often been disturbingly sophisticated—educated, articulate, and strategically aware. Long before the world began to speak of the “new educated terrorist,” figures like Osama bin Laden embodied that paradox. Bin Laden was not a product of deprivation but of privilege: born into a wealthy Saudi construction dynasty , educated at King Abdulaziz University where he studied economics and civil engineering, and fluent in the language of political grievance. His charisma and ideological conviction—amplified by education and access—helped transform a regional militant movement into a global network of terror. This pattern has repeated across decades and continents. Many of the 9/11 hijackers, including Mohamed Atta, held university degrees. Atta himself had a master’s in urban planning from the Technical University of Hamburg, Germany . The London 7/7 bombers included graduates and professionals, as did the perpetrators of the Paris and Brussels attacks. A 2016 study by the World Bank titled Terrorism, Education, and Development revealed that nearly 69 per cent of ISIS recruits in its database had received at least secondary education, and one in five held a university degree. The report concluded that “education does not inoculate individuals against extremism; in some cases, it may enhance their capacity for ideological commitment and operational effectiveness.” India, too, has faced this unsettling reality Several accused in the 2008 . Mumbai terror attacks were educated and technically trained. David Headley who conducted , reconnaissance for the attack, attended elite schools and later ran businesses in the US. More recently , the rise of radicalised youth from engineering and medical colleges across Kerala, Maharashtra, and Delhi underscores the shifting profile of extremism. The 2018 Observer Research Foundation paper Radicalisation of Educated Youth in India observed that higher education no longer guarantees ideological immunity Instead, the internet, echo . chambers, and a yearning for purpose often make educated youth more susceptible to radical worldviews. The notion that terrorism springs from deprivation is giving way to a darker truth—radicalisation thrives where intellect meets alienation. Studies from Princeton and King’s College London echo this: ideology finds fertile ground not merely in despair, but in disillusionment. The educated terrorist is, in many ways, a product of modernity’s contradictions—wired into the global world yet seeking meaning in its destruction. License to Kill On the evening of November 10, 2025, Delhi’s oldest quarter was alive in its usual chaos. Horns blared along Netaji Subhash Marg, tourists drifted toward the Red Fort’s sandstone arches, and vendors sold roasted peanuts under flickering bulbs. Just another day closing in the capital— Turn to page 2 On the Radar Dr Muzammil Ahmad Ganaie (alias “Musaib”): A doctor from Pulwama, Jammu & Kashmir, employed at Al Falah School of Medical Sciences & Research Centre (Faridabad). Investigators report that rooms he rented in Faridabad contained about 2,900 kg of explosives (ammonium nitrate, other bomb‑making materials) Dr Shaheen Sayeed (Shahid) (often reported as “Shaheen Shahid” or “Shaheen Sayeed”): A doctor originally from Lucknow, reportedly also working at Al Falah. She is alleged to have been tasked with forming a women’s recruitment wing of Jaish‑e‑Mohammed (“Jamaat‑ul‑Mominat”) Dr Umar Mohammad (also cited as “Umar Nabi” or “Dr Umar Un Nabi”): A doctor from Pulwama, reportedly driving the Hyundai i20 car that exploded near the Red Fort. His mother and brothers have been detained for DNA and questioning Dr Adeel Ahmad Rather: Doctor from Anantnag, Jammu & Kashmir; reportedly arrested in connection with the module with ties to Jaish-e-Mohammed and Ansar Ghazwat-ul-Hind. He reportedly hid an AK-47 in his locker and was part of a cross-state network spanning J&K, Haryana, and UP