New Delhi: A shocking connection has surfaced between Monday night’s deadly blast near Delhi’s historic Red Fort which claimed nine lives and a sophisticated terror network spanning Jammu and Kashmir and Haryana. According to top intelligence sources, the car that exploded was owned by a doctor from Pulwama, South Kashmir, who is believed to be part of the busted “white-collar” terror module.
Investigators have reclassified the explosion as a terror attack, invoking stringent sections of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) including sections 16 and 18 that deal with terrorist acts and conspiracy alongside provisions from the Explosive Substances Act, and charges of murder and attempt to murder.
Preliminary findings suggest that the car’s owner, Dr. Umar Mohammad, detonated the explosives after panicking when two key associates, Dr. Mujammil Shakeel and Dr. Adil Rather, were arrested in a major crackdown in Faridabad. Over the past few days, police teams had seized nearly 2,900 kilograms of suspected explosives during raids linked to the module. Sources indicate the target could have been a central Delhi location, as the car was reportedly moving from the Red Fort towards the city centre when it exploded. Forensic teams believe ammonium nitrate, a substance commonly found in fertilisers but also used in bomb-making, was used in the blast.
The explosion occurred hours after joint teams from the Jammu and Kashmir and Haryana Police uncovered large caches of explosives, weapons, and ammunition from two rented houses in Faridabad both linked to Dr. Shakeel. The powerful blast near the Red Fort left at least six cars and several auto-rickshaws charred, and visuals from the site showed mangled bodies and pools of blood across the road. The busy area, located near Chandni Chowk market, was quickly sealed off as forensic experts combed the debris for evidence.
“A slow-moving vehicle stopped at a traffic signal when a sudden explosion occurred,” Delhi Police Commissioner Satish Golcha said. “Nearby vehicles were damaged in the blast, and we are probing all possible angles, including cross-border links.”
A massive multi-agency investigation is now underway, led jointly by the Delhi Police, J&K Police, NIA, NSG, Intelligence Bureau, UP ATS, Haryana Police, Gujarat Police, and forensic units. In Pulwama, J&K Police have detained a man named Tariq, who allegedly handled the car before Umar. Early interrogation revealed that the vehicle changed ownership multiple times from Aamir to Tariq, and finally to Umar before being used in the attack.
Authorities have confirmed that the J&K Police had been tracking the Jaish-e-Muhammad (JeM) module for nearly a month before the blast. The group’s radicalised professionals, including doctors and engineers, were allegedly in contact with handlers based in Pakistan and had been engaged in propaganda activities and logistics for terror operations.
During the Faridabad raids, investigators recovered 350 kg of explosives, 20 timers, assault rifles, and handguns from one residence rented by Shakeel in Dhoj village, and another 2,563 kg of bomb-making materials from Fatehpur Taga village nearby. Police say Shakeel had rented these properties for over three years, operating discreetly under a professional cover.
Home Minister Amit Shah stated on Monday night that “no angle is being ruled out”, confirming that agencies are examining possible cross-border involvement and domestic sleeper cell coordination. Delhi remains under high alert as interrogation and forensic analysis continue to unfold what officials are calling one of the most sophisticated terror modules in recent years.
The revelations have sent shockwaves through the national capital, raising fresh concerns about the infiltration of radical ideologies among educated professionals and the evolving face of terrorism in India.