NEW DELHI: More than a day after the deadly blast that rocked the capital, Delhi remains on high alert as investigators piece together the chain of events that led to the explosion near the Red Fort, killing at least 12 people and injuring several others. The slow-moving Hyundai i20 erupted at a traffic signal on Subhash Marg, close to Gate No. 1 of the Red Fort Metro Station, setting nearby vehicles ablaze and sending panic across the historic quarter. Officials said the impact was so severe that a mutilated body was recovered from the mangled remains of the car.The National Investigation Agency (NIA) has formally taken over the case, after a review chaired by Union home minister Amit Shah. According to PTI, the blast came hours after eight people were arrested in Faridabad and 2,900 kg of explosives were seized from what officials described as a “white-collar” interstate terror module linked to Jaish-e-Mohammed and Ansar Ghazwat-ul-Hind. Preliminary security assessments suggest the explosion could have been accidental or triggered under panic as the terror network came under pressure following widespread raids.As investigators hunt for answers, the national capital has been placed on high alert. CCTV review teams have been deployed across Red Fort and adjoining corridors, while the city’s airports, bus terminals and railway stations have been placed under heavy security. Meanwhile, distraught families from Delhi, Uttar Pradesh and other states gathered at LNJP Hospital, waiting anxiously for identification of bodies and news of missing relatives.
NIA takes over the probe; Centre calls it a terror-linked blast
According to PTI, the investigation has been officially transferred to the National Investigation Agency after Home Minister Amit Shah held review meetings. The NIA will examine all aspects, including materials used, possible handlers, links to the busted Faridabad module, and whether the explosion was intentional or accidental. Delhi Police has also lodged a case under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act and the Explosives Act. Prime Minister Narendra Modi, speaking in Thimphu, said agencies would “get to the bottom of the conspiracy” and that perpetrators “will not be spared”. ANI reported that Home Minister Amit Shah has instructed agencies to hunt down every individual involved. Forensic Science Laboratory teams are matching samples from the car with recovered body parts, while multiple police teams are filtering CCTV footage from Red Fort and adjoining routes to identify the masked man seen driving the vehicle.
CM Rekha Gupta announces compensation
Delhi chief minister Rekha Gupta announced Rs 10 lakh ex-gratia for families of those killed, and Rs 5 lakh for those permanently disabled or seriously injured. She said the government would ensure quality treatment and stood firmly with affected families. Shah has ordered the NIA to submit its report at the earliest. Security in Delhi has been tightened dramatically, with barricades and checks at border entry points. Traffic police issued advisories and diverted routes near Red Fort, with commuters urged to avoid the area.
Umar Nabi suspected to be the driver; DNA samples taken
Investigators have zeroed in on Dr Umar Nabi, a doctor from Lethpora in Pulwama, believed to have been driving the car during the blast, as per newsagency PTI. He is suspected to be one of the dead, and Jammu & Kashmir Police have collected a DNA sample from his mother to confirm identity. Umar is alleged to have been carrying ammonium nitrate-based explosives when the vehicle detonated. Officials told PTI that he may have panicked after the Faridabad terror module was busted and possibly triggered the blast prematurely. Umar worked as a faculty member in Faridabad and had reportedly been an introvert who kept to himself. Investigators suspect he was on the run after learning of the arrests in Faridabad and waited for nearly three hours in the Sunehri Masjid parking area before driving towards Red Fort.
The ‘white-collar’ terror module and 2,900 kg of explosives
The blast occurred just hours after security agencies arrested eight people, including three doctors, and seized 2,900 kg of bomb-making material. Authorities described the network as a “white-collar” module spanning Kashmir, Haryana and Uttar Pradesh, connected to Jaish-e-Mohammed and Ansar Ghazwat-ul-Hind. Investigators recovered 360 kg of ammonium nitrate from Al Falah University in Faridabad alone. The module allegedly stored explosives across multiple states, raising concern over how a sophisticated network managed to acquire and hide such quantities. Agencies said pan-India alerts and coordinated crackdowns may have forced suspects to act in desperation. Preliminary findings suggest the IED was not assembled properly; there was no crater and no shrapnel, indicating the bomb was premature and may have detonated accidentally.
Role of doctors: Arrests include Shaheen Sayeed and Muzammil Ganaie
Three doctors were among those arrested, including Dr Muzammil Ganaie and Dr Shaheen Sayeed, both linked to Al Falah University, PTI reported. Investigators said Shaheen headed the Jamaat-ul-Mominat – the women’s recruitment wing of Jaish-e-Mohammed – and was allegedly in touch with a handler in Pakistan. PTI reported that Shaheen, originally from Lucknow, was divorced in 2015 and had been living alone. Officials believe she may have been indoctrinated during this period. Her father told reporters he was unaware of her activities and heard of the arrest only through the media. Umar, also connected to Al Falah, allegedly carried out the car blast fearing he would be caught like the others. PTI reported that a man named Tariq from Pulwama gave him the i20 vehicle and has now been arrested.
CCTV shows masked man; car waited three hours before blast
CCTV footage showed a masked man driving the i20. Investigators confirmed the car had been parked for nearly three hours in the Sunehri Masjid parking lot, during which Umar reportedly checked the internet for updates about the Faridabad arrests. After the blast, police shut the Red Fort Metro Station and sealed surrounding areas. Overnight searches were conducted at hotels and guest houses in Daryaganj and Paharganj. All vehicles entering Delhi are now being checked. At least four people were detained in Kashmir for questioning; two have been moved for joint interrogation by Delhi Police, NIA and intelligence agencies.
Victims: everyday workers with families waiting at LNJP Hospital
Heartbreaking scenes unfolded at LNJP Hospital, where families struggled to identify bodies or locate missing relatives. Among those killed was 32-year-old Dinesh Mishra from Shravasti, who worked at a printing press in Delhi. His father told PTI that Dinesh had returned home for Diwali and worked hard to educate his children. Another victim, Ashok Kumar from Amroha, and Delhi resident Amar Kataria were identified, while other bodies remain unidentified and are believed to be aged between 28 and 58. At least 20 people were injured; 12 from Delhi and the rest from states including Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand and Himachal Pradesh. A hospital worker told PTI the scenes were “gruesome”, with ambulances arriving through the night and family members pleading for information.
Blast material: Ammonium nitrate, detonators, fuel oil
Preliminary forensic findings suggest ammonium nitrate, fuel oil and detonators were used in the blast. The lack of shrapnel and absence of a crater signalled a flawed assembly or premature trigger. Officials told PTI typical suicide car attacks involve ramming targets, but this vehicle was moving slowly at a traffic signal. Investigators are looking at whether the IED was triggered manually or by accident as Umar fled after the arrests in Faridabad. Agencies are also probing storage sites across Delhi-NCR and Kashmir, and how the module acquired explosive material despite surveillance. Multiple raiding teams continue to recover digital devices, communication logs and CCTV footage.
Faridabad connection and Al Falah University under scanner
Al Falah University in Faridabad is central to the investigation. Two of the arrested doctors worked there, and 360 kg of ammonium nitrate was recovered from campus-linked premises. Investigators are probing whether the university was used for recruitment, logistics or storage.
Capital on alert
Since the blast, Delhi has been on high alert and security has intensified at airports, railway stations and interstate bus terminals. CCTV scanning teams have spread across Red Fort, Chandni Chowk, Sunehri Masjid and adjoining roads. Police are checking private and commercial vehicles, questioning suspicious travellers, and monitoring hotel bookings. The Red Fort remains cordoned off with metro access shut. Investigators are focused on cracking communication links, funding trails and encrypted channels used by the module, while agencies continue interrogations in Kashmir and Delhi.(With inputs from agencies) Go to Source
