The explosion outside Delhi's Red Fort Metro Station was a terrorist attack. Thus far, it has claimed the lives of 9 people and injured 20 others. Investigative agencies reported that explosives were placed in a car, leading to the detonation. This was suspected to be a suicide attack, with initial findings linking the Delhi Red Fort blast to the Faridabad terror module.
The police are set to conduct a DNA test on the body recovered from the car to confirm whether it belongs to Dr. Umar Muhammad. Intelligence agencies harbor suspicions that Dr. Umar Muhammad was in the I-20 car, as a CCTV image showed him wearing a black mask.
Given the vast amount of ammonium nitrate uncovered in Faridabad, both the Delhi Police and other agencies have been in pursuit of Dr. Umar Muhammad.
Dr. Umar Muhammad, the detained terrorist from the Faridabad module, was on the run. Agencies have been on his trail, with India Today revealing sources that highlighted the anxiety he felt as persistent arrests were made in the module.
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According to sources, Dr. Umar Muhammad was alone in the car during the blast. He plotted the attack with two other accomplices. As arrests from the Faridabad terror module ramped up, fear of capture compelled him to plan the terrorist attack hurriedly. He, along with his associates, rigged the car with a detonator.
At precisely 1 PM on Monday, India Today reported that both the police forces from Jammu & Kashmir and Faridabad were actively searching for Dr. Umar Muhammad, who is known to originate from Kashmir.
Source: aajtak
Key revelations about the I-20 car have surfaced, providing communication lines to the investigative agencies about its role in the incident.
Let’s examine the route the I-20 took as it made its way through Delhi to the Red Fort.
The Delhi Police's Special Cell conducted CCTV mapping of the car's journey.
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The I-20 was last seen at the Badarpur border entering Delhi. Further route details are being tracked. Subsequently, the car showed up near the Red Fort Metro Station, Gate Number 1.
Source: aajtak
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Before reaching the blast site, the vehicle was parked for three hours at the parking lot near the Sunehri Mosque close to the Red Fort. It entered at 3:19 PM and exited by 6:48 PM. The explosion occurred approximately at 6:55 PM.
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The Delhi Police secured the CCTV footage showing the suspicious vehicle entering and then leaving the parking lot, confirming the car was driven by a lone individual. Now, investigative agencies are checking vehicles on the Dariyaganj route, reviewing 100 CCTV clips, including toll plaza footage, to trace the vehicle's complete movements.
The I-20's Jammu & Kashmir Link
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The I-20 involved in the Red Fort vicinity blast was initially owned by Mohammad Salman, who sold it to Nadeem. Nadeem later resold it to Royal Car Zone in Faridabad, from where Tariq acquired it, and subsequently, Umar became its new owner.
The vehicle bore Haryana registration — HR 26 7624 — under the name of Mohammad Salman and was documented in Gurugram North RTO's records.
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Tariq was apprehended last night at his residence in Pampore from his dwelling in Sambura, Pulwama. However, the car's RC was not in Tariq's name. Sources hint that Umar was given the car in 2015, while it was still registered under Tariq's name. Both these individuals are currently in custody for questioning. Meanwhile, a link to an individual named Amir has emerged. Jammu & Kashmir police are now interrogating Tariq and Amir.
Source: aajtak
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Previously, the Delhi Police reported that three individuals were in the car when it exploded. There was speculation about it being a suicide mission; however, recent confirmations state that Umar Muhammad was alone.
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A senior police officer noted, "The blast occurred in a moving Hyundai I-20, and there were reportedly three passengers. Remarkably, no shrapnel was found on the victims, a peculiarity in such explosions. This opens up various investigation angles."
The same officer remarked that by late evening, Delhi Police had detained the car owner, Mohammad Salman, for grilling about the vehicle. Salman revealed that he'd sold the car a year and a half ago to Devendra from Okhla.
The car, afterward, changed hands multiple times—from Ambala, then to Pulwama, landing in the possession of Tariq. Efforts are underway to unravel those involved.
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In response to the blast, the Delhi Police registered an FIR under UAPA sections 16 and 18, addressing terrorist acts and their punishment. Additional charges related to the Explosive Substances Act's sections 3 and 4 have also been included. Moreover, murder and attempted murder charges are part of the FIR.
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The Delhi Police's Special Cell has sought details from Faridabad's Crime Branch and Jammu & Kashmir Police about the explosives recovered there. Preliminary analysis suggests traces of ammonium nitrate might be present in the Red Fort blast, pending an FSL report anticipated for release soon.
Faridabad's Link to the Red Fort Blast
According to sources from the Delhi Police's Special Cell, the threads connecting the car explosion to the Faridabad terror module are becoming increasingly evident. This same module faced recent exposure at the hands of Jammu & Kashmir police.
Suspects tied to this module have known associations with prohibited outfits like Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) and Ansar Ghazwat-ul-Hind (AGuH), operating under their directives. This module also included two male and one female doctor.
To date, the police have arrested Dr. Mujammil Ahmad Ganai from Faridabad and Dr. Adil Ahmad Rather from Pulwama. Additionally, Dr. Shaheen Shahid from Lucknow has been detained. Amid this investigation, the pursuit of Dr. Muhammad Umar remains active.
Within the Faridabad explosive discovery, police made seven arrests, seizing approximately 2,900 kg of explosive materials, alongside weapons and other incriminating items.
