Written by Manish SahuLucknow | November 13, 2025 08:20 AM IST 3 min readTwo of three men arrested by the Gujarat Anti-Terrorist Squad (ATS) last week in connection with the alleged Ricin terror plot were studying Hafiz courses at the same madrasa in UP’s Muzaffarnagar.While their families claimed the men were innocent, police had said the accused were allegedly plotting attacks using the lethal toxin and conducting reconnaissance of potential targets — including the RSS office in Lucknow, the Agriculture Produce Market Committee in Azadpur, Delhi, and the fruit market in Naroda. The ATS had arrested the trio — Dr Ahmed Mohiyuddin Saiyed (35) from Hyderabad; Azad Suleman Sheikh, (20) from Shamli; and Mohammad Suhail (23) from Lakhimpur Kheri — on November 8. Senior officials said they were trying to produce Ricin.Azad is a resident of Jhinjhana in Shamli. His elder brother, Shezad Saifi, who works as a construction labourer in Sonipat, told The Indian Express: “Before Covid, Azad was studying at a madrasa in Muzaffarnagar’s Budhana. During the lockdown, the madrasa shut so I took him with me to Sonipat, where he did odd jobs — repairing sewing machines etc. Once the madrasa reopened, he returned to his studies.”Read | Ricin poison ‘terror plot’: What is ricin, and why a few milligrams can be fatalAround two months ago, his family said that Azad had returned from a Jamaat trip to West Bengal; he had gone with 12 others. “On November 7, he said he was going to the madrasa… On November 8… I received a call from a police officer in Gujarat about Azad’s arrest.”“There must be some misunderstanding…,” he added.The family said they were aware Suhail was also studying at the same madrasa.Suhail is from Lakhimpur Kheri’s Nighasan. His father, Mohammad Saleem, said, “Around three years ago, when the Covid situation improved, Suhail joined the madrasa in Muzaffarnagar to pursue Hafiz studies.” Saleem said the family came to know about Suhail’s arrest only when they received a call from the police. Denying his son’s involvement in any illegal activities, he said, “… He had last come home in June and returned to the madrasa a few days later.” He said they are unaware of how his son reached Ahmedabad and also didn’t know about Azad.Mohammad Qayyum, Chairman of Singhai Nagar Panchayat in Lakhimpur Kheri, told The Indian Express: “They (the family) are simple people… I have no knowledge about the case in which Saleem’s son has been booked.”Stay updated with the latest - Click here to follow us on Instagram© The Indian Express Pvt LtdTags:Muzaffarnagar