Red Fort (ANI file photo)
New Delhi: Was the Red Fort attack originally planned for January 26? Police are probing whether the November 10 blast near Red Fort was part of a foiled plot initially intended for the Republic Day celebrations earlier this year. Analysis of mobile dump data revealed that Dr Muzammil Ganaie — one of the prime suspects arrested in the recently busted “white-collar” terror module in Faridabad — had carried out multiple reconnaissance visits to the Red Fort area in January 2025.Notably, the Republic Day parade route runs from Rashtrapati Bhavan to the Red Fort, an area that witnesses high-level VVIP movement and heightened security every year.Police now suspect that the recces were part of a larger conspiracy to target the historic monument on January 26, a plan that may have failed due to the intense patrolling and security arrangements at the time.A senior police officer, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said, “The ongoing analysis of dump data retrieved from Dr Muzammil’s mobile phone showed his repeated presence in and around the Red Fort area in the first week of January.” “These visits were part of a detailed reconnaissance ahead of a planned attack on January 26,” the officer added.Investigators said Dr Muzammil, along with his associate Dr Umar Nabi, visited the Red Fort multiple times to study security arrangements and crowd density patterns. Their movements were corroborated through tower location data and CCTV footage from the surrounding areas.Police are also analysing Dr Muzammil’s communications and digital footprint to trace the funding sources for the module and determine how the explosives were procured. They are verifying whether other suspects conducted similar recces or provided logistical support to the arrested members.Additionally, dump data of Dr Umar’s movement near the Red Fort is being examined to check if he was in contact with anyone shortly before the blast.
On Monday evening, a high-intensity explosion ripped through a slow-moving Hyundai i20 car near the Red Fort Metro Station, killing 12 people and injuring several others.The case has since been transferred to the National Investigation Agency (NIA) for further investigation.
