New Delhi: Investigators suspect that the car explosion at the Red Fort here on Monday was as “suicide attack” carried out by a ‘fidayeen’ in panic, after Central agencies began cracking down on a ‘white collar’ terror network and arrested several participants and seized nearly 2,900 kg of explosives. The blast has claimed 12 lives so far.
“The suspect was likely spooked after the raid in Faridabad which forced him to relocate hastily, increasing the chance of a mishap. The incident appears to have shifted from a suspected suicide attack to an unintended explosion during transport,” a senior police officer said.
The car was driven by Dr Muhammad Umar Nabi, a doctor from Pulwama in south Kashmir, who is believed to have killed in the blast. Nabi, suspected to be linked to an interstate terror module, was teaching at Al-Falah University in Faridabad and had last visited Kashmir two months ago.
While initially there were claims that there were three people in the car, another account said only Nabi, who was on the run after the busting of the Faridabad terror module, was the lone occupant.
Investigations show Nabi waited for nearly three hours in the Sunehri Masjid parking lot near the Red Fort while scouring the internet about updates regarding his associates’ arrest in Faridabad. The car reportedly began its 45-km journey from Faridabad early Monday morning and detonated near the Red Fort Metro Rail station around 6.52 pm. The journey took about 11 hours.
Investigators are probing how the group managed to acquire and store large quantities of explosives, including ammonium nitrate, pointing to what officials described as a “white-collar” terror network.
The investigation has been handed over to the National Investigation Agency (NIA) after the Delhi Police invoked provisions of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act and the Explosive Substances Act. The decision followed two review meetings chaired by Union home minister Amit Shah, signalling that the explosion is being treated as a terrorist act.
The explosion occurred hours after the arrest of eight people including three doctors, Dr Shaheen Sayeed, Dr Muzammil Ganaie, Dr Adil Ahmad all linked to of Al-Falah University and the seizure of about 3000 kg of explosives in connection with a Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) and Ansar Ghazwat-ul-Hind-linked “white-collar” module operating across Kashmir, Haryana and Uttar Pradesh.
Investigators said Shaheen headed the women’s recruitment wing Jamaat-ul-Mominat of JeM in India.
Muzammil was wanted by the J&K police in a separate case related to a social media post allegedly supporting the banned organisation Jaish-e-Mohammed.
Investigators said a man named Tariq, also from Pulwama, had handed over the car to Nabi. He has also been arrested. Teams from Delhi Police, NIA, and central intelligence agencies have fanned out across Delhi, UP and Kashmir, detaining four more suspects two of whom are under joint interrogation.
Delhi remained on high alert, with enhanced security at airports, railway stations, and bus terminals. CCTV footage from the Red Fort and nearby routes is being scanned for leads.
With raids continuing the northern India, security agencies are working to unravel the full network behind what investigators now call one of the most sophisticated “white-collar” terror modules operating across northern India.
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