Investigators probing the Red Fort explosion say the blast was part of a planned multi-city terror operation. Agencies believe eight suspects were preparing coordinated IED attacks across India. Investigators probing the deadly car explosion near Delhi’s Red Fort, which claimed 12 lives, say the blast was part of a far larger terror conspiracy involving multiple cities and coordinated attacks. According to officials familiar with the case, eight suspects were allegedly preparing to execute simultaneous blasts, with operatives divided into pairs and each pair tasked with targeting a specific city.
Early findings indicate that the accused intended to travel in twos, each carrying several improvised explosive devices (IEDs), to carry out near-simultaneous explosions. Among those under investigation are individuals previously linked to terror-related cases, including Red Fort blast suspects Dr Muzammil, Dr Adeel, Dr Umar, and Dr Shaheen. Funds, fertiliser procurement and encrypted communication
News agency ANI mentioned sources as saying that police agencies believe they have prevented a major multi-city terror strike by intercepting the group’s logistics and funding trail. Investigators have learnt that the accused collectively raised nearly Rs 20 lakh, which was handed over to Umar to support operational activities. The money was allegedly used to purchase more than 20 quintals of NPK fertiliser (a mixture of nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium) from markets in Haryana’s Gurugram, Nuh and nearby areas. Officials say the fertiliser was intended to be processed to extract material for IEDs.
Investigators have also discovered that Umar created a Signal app group with a small circle of associates, which is estimated at two to four members, to coordinate the operation securely.
Radicalisation trail and terror group links
According to agencies, Dr Muzammil is believed to have gravitated towards Ansar Gazwat-ul-Hind, an ISIS-linked outfit, between 2021 and 2022 after coming in contact with associates of slain militants. His introduction to the network was allegedly facilitated by an individual identified as Irfan alias Maulvi.
Weapons recovered by security forces in 2023 and 2024 are suspected to have been procured by this module as part of preparations to establish an independent terror outfit.
Officials say further investigation is underway to determine whether the group had fixed a date for the planned attacks or planned to execute them in the near future.
DNA confirms blast driver as Dr Umar un Nabi
Meanwhile, Delhi Police have confirmed that the person who detonated the car bomb near the Red Fort was Dr Umar un Nabi, following forensic DNA testing. His biological sample matched the DNA provided by his mother.
Senior police officials told ANI that the confirmation came after days of detailed forensic work. One officer said that in the aftermath of the explosion, Umar’s leg was found trapped between the steering wheel and the accelerator, indicating he was behind the wheel when the blast occurred.
Probe expands across states
Investigators say that identifying Umar marks a major breakthrough in the case, which triggered panic due to its proximity to the Red Fort, which is a high-security heritage location in the national capital. Agencies are now working to trace the origin of the explosive materials, potential handlers, and whether others were involved in the planning.
The confirmation is expected to help police align other crucial evidence, including call data, CCTV movements and items recovered from the blast site. The Delhi Police Special Cell, along with central agencies, continues to pursue leads across Delhi, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh and Jammu & Kashmir, with multiple teams deployed to identify associates of the deceased suspect.