NEW DELHI: Investigators probing the Red Fort blast, which killed 12 people and injured more than 20 on Monday evening, are focusing on Dr Umar Mohammad Nabi, a Pulwama-born medical professional suspected of driving the white Hyundai i20 that exploded near Gate No. 1 of the Lal Qila Metro Station in central Delhi.
Officials familiar with the probe say Umar is suspected to have links with a radicalised module dismantled in Faridabad during a joint operation by Jammu & Kashmir Police and Haryana’s Special Task Force (STF). That operation led to the arrest of eight individuals, including three doctors, and the seizure of 2,900 kg of explosives and arms from multiple locations in Haryana.
Umar, a resident of Koil village in Pulwama, was allegedly in touch with members of the same Faridabad module and may have driven the vehicle used in the Red Fort blast. CCTV footage reportedly shows a masked man behind the wheel before the explosion.
Tracing the Hyundai i20’s ownership proved a breakthrough. The car was initially registered to a man named Salman, who sold it to Devender. Devender was later detained and revealed he had sold it to Taariq. Evidence shows the car ultimately came into Dr Umar Mohammad Nabi’s possession.
The i20 was first spotted outside Asian Hospital in Faridabad at 7:30 a.m. on Monday. It crossed the Badarpur toll plaza at 8:13 a.m., entered Delhi, and was seen near a petrol pump in the Okhla Industrial Area shortly after. By 3:19 p.m., it reached a parking lot near the Red Fort complex, where it remained for nearly three hours before leaving at 6:22 p.m. The blast occurred at 6:52 p.m., minutes after it exited the parking area.
Delhi Police, which has registered a case under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA), the Explosives Act, and the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), said multiple specialised teams, including the Special Cell and crime units, are collecting forensic evidence from the site. Following the incident, raids have been conducted across the National Capital Region, with heightened security checks at Daryaganj, Paharganj, railway stations, airports, and bus terminals. Traffic around the Red Fort remains restricted, while the Lal Qila Metro Station has been closed for security reasons.
Investigators say the Pulwama–Faridabad connection is a key line of inquiry as they attempt to uncover a wider terror conspiracy.