Delhi Red Fort Blast: Terror Link Confirmed, Absconding Doctor Seen In Car
A powerful car blast near Delhi’s Red Fort killed 9 people and injured 20, with police linking it to a terror module involving educated professionals and major explosive recoveries.
A powerful blast near the Red Fort on Monday evening has left nine people dead and 20 injured, officials said. The explosion took place at 6:52 pm in a Hyundai i20 car near the Red Fort Metro Station, damaging several nearby vehicles and leaving the busy area in chaos.
The impact of the blast was so strong that it set 22 nearby vehicles on fire and tore apart the bodies of those sitting inside the car. Police suspect that 2-3 people were inside the vehicle when it exploded.
Just hours before the blast, three separate arrests related to terror activities were made in different states. A doctor from Gujarat was caught with three pistols and chemicals used to make ricin, a deadly poison. Another man from Jammu and Kashmir was arrested in Haryana with 2,900 kg of explosive material, including 350 kg of ammonium nitrate and two assault rifles. A third person from J&K was arrested in Uttar Pradesh for putting up posters praising the Pakistan-based terror group Jaish-e-Mohammed.
CCTV footage has now revealed that Dr Mohammad Umar, an absconding member of the Faridabad “white-collar terror module”, was seen driving the same Hyundai i20 car that exploded near Red Fort. This module is believed to consist of educated and well-settled individuals involved in terrorism.
The blast car (number HR26CE7674) was earlier owned by Mohammad Salman of Gurgaon and had changed hands multiple times before reaching Tariq from Pulwama, showing how it passed through different people. Investigators say the car was finally used by Dr Umar, who triggered the blast after learning that two of his close aides had been arrested.
Police sources believe Umar planted a detonator inside the car and waited in the parking lot before the explosion. The Red Fort blast is now being treated as a terror attack, and the suspects have been charged under the UAPA (Unlawful Activities Prevention Act), along with laws related to explosives, murder, and attempt to murder.
Officials said that the explosive used was ammonium nitrate, similar to what was found in the 2,900 kg haul in Faridabad, just 50 km from Delhi. Security across the national capital has been tightened, with high alert at airports, railway stations, and bus terminals.
The investigation continues as raids are being carried out at several locations to find the remaining members of the terror module.
