- By Shivangi Sharma
- Tue, 11 Nov 2025 10:07 PM (IST)
- Source:JND
Ricin has returned to national headlines after the Gujarat Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) arrested three individuals in a major anti-terror operation on November 10, 2025. According to officials, the suspects were allegedly planning coordinated attacks across India using the highly toxic bio-chemical. The key accused, Dr. Ahmed Mohiuddin Syed of Hyderabad, had reportedly converted his residence into a laboratory to manufacture ricin. Two others, Azad Suleman Sheikh from Uttar Pradesh and Mohammad Suhail Salim Khan from Ahmedabad, were also detained with weapons and chemical material as part of the operation.
Ricin is a potent plant-derived toxin that poses a serious, though targeted, threat to public safety. Extracted from castor beans for industrial use, the protein has long been known to scientists and security agencies for its extreme toxicity, multiple exposure routes, and the absence of a specific antidote, factors that make it a worrying option for criminal actors and lone assassins rather than an efficient mass-casualty weapon.
How Ricin Works And Why It’s Lethal
Ricin is a ribosome-inactivating protein. Once inside cells, it disrupts protein synthesis by damaging ribosomal RNA, halting essential cellular functions and triggering organ failure. Even minute quantities can be lethal: inhalation or injection doses in the microgram-per-kilogram range are dangerous, and ingestion of concentrated material can cause fatal systemic effects. Symptoms vary by exposure and may include respiratory distress, vomiting, low blood pressure, and multiorgan failure.
The castor plant that produces ricin is common worldwide, and industrial castor oil processing generates byproducts containing the toxin. While that accessibility raises concern, practical limitations reduce ricin’s utility as a large-scale weapon. It is difficult to disseminate effectively as an airborne mass-casualty agent, is unstable in some environments, and requires handling that poses risks to perpetrators. Because of these constraints, experts stress ricin’s greater suitability for targeted attacks rather than indiscriminate mass harm.
Historical Cases And Legal Response
Ricin has been used in high-profile assassinations and attempted attacks, from the 1978 murder of Bulgarian dissident Georgi Markov in London to mailed ricin letters in the United States. Such episodes have prompted stricter controls, international monitoring, and criminal penalties for possession and misuse.
There is no approved antidote; medical care is supportive and focuses on stabilising breathing, circulation, and organ function. Public health authorities and military medical units maintain surveillance, diagnostic tools, and protocols to identify exposures and limit harm. Research into vaccines and therapeutics continues, but clinical options remain limited.
