A major development has linked the deadly explosion near Delhi’s Red Fort, which claimed nine lives, to a sophisticated “white collar” terror module recently exposed by police teams from Jammu and Kashmir and Haryana.
According to top sources, the car that blew up — a white Hyundai i20 — was registered to a doctor from south Kashmir’s Pulwama, who was part of the same network. The revelation, confirmed early Tuesday morning, has prompted investigators to treat the incident as a terror attack.
The Delhi Police have invoked Sections 16 and 18 of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA), dealing with acts of terrorism and related conspiracy, along with provisions of the Explosive Substances Act and charges of murder and attempt to murder.
Sources said the car’s owner, Dr Umar Mohammad, allegedly panicked after the arrest of two key associates — Dr Mujammil Shakeel and Dr Adil Rather — and the seizure of 2,900 kilograms of suspected explosives in Haryana’s Faridabad. Investigators believe he detonated the bomb prematurely near the Red Fort to destroy evidence.
Officials suspect the original target may have been a busy zone in central Delhi, as CCTV footage showed the car heading from the Red Fort area toward the city’s commercial heart before it exploded. Preliminary findings suggest ammonium nitrate, a common fertiliser that can also be used in improvised explosives, was used in the blast. The same substance was recovered during raids linked to the busted module.
The explosion came just hours after coordinated raids by J&K and Haryana Police led to the recovery of thousands of kilograms of suspected explosives, arms, and ammunition from two rented houses in Faridabad. Both properties had been leased by Dr Shakeel.
Haryana’s Police Commissioner Satish Golcha told reporters that a slow-moving vehicle stopped at a traffic signal near the Red Fort before the explosion tore through it, damaging several nearby cars and autorickshaws. The crowded area — close to the Lal Qila metro station and Chandni Chowk — erupted in flames, leaving mangled bodies and charred vehicles scattered across the road.
A large-scale investigation is now being coordinated by multiple agencies — including the Delhi Police, J&K Police, NIA, NSG, Intelligence Bureau, UP ATS, Haryana and Gujarat Police, and central forensic teams.
J&K Police have detained a man named Tariq from Pulwama, who reportedly handled the car at one point. Initial questioning indicates the vehicle changed ownership at least three times — first sold to Aamir, then Tariq, and finally Umar. Officials said clearer details are expected once the interrogation concludes.
Authorities also confirmed that the Jaish-e-Mohammed module had been under surveillance for nearly a month before the arrests and the Red Fort explosion.
Home Minister Amit Shah, after reviewing the situation late Monday night, said no angle was being ruled out and that investigators were examining potential terror and cross-border connections. Delhi and adjoining states remain on high alert.
The module, described as “white collar” because of the educational and professional backgrounds of its members, was uncovered through coordinated intelligence operations across Srinagar, Anantnag, Ganderbal, Shopian, and Faridabad.
During Sunday’s raids, investigators recovered 350 kilograms of explosives, 20 detonators, rifles, handguns, and large quantities of ammunition from a room rented by Dr Shakeel in Dhoj village for over three years. Another raid, just four kilometres away in Fatehpur Taga, yielded 2,563 kilograms of additional explosive materials.
Altogether, more than 2,900 kilograms of bomb-making substances were seized as part of a joint operation by the Haryana and J&K Police over the last two weeks. Officials say the group was being directed by handlers based in Pakistan and other countries, and had also been involved in disseminating pro-terror propaganda and posters in Jammu and Kashmir.
With investigators now confirming that the Pulwama doctor’s car was used in the Red Fort blast, the probe has entered a critical phase — one that could unravel a larger cross-border network of radicalised professionals operating under the radar in India.