Delhi blast a heinous terror act, says Centre after high-level meet

The explosion near New Delhi’s Red Fort on November 10, which killed at least 12 people, has been termed a “heinous act of terror” by the Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS).

On Wednesday (November 12), Prime Minister Narendra Modi chaired the high-level meeting, which was attended by Home Minister Amit Shah, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, and other top officials.

The Cabinet, meeting at the Prime Minister’s residence, observed a two-minute silence in memory of the victims. In a statement, the Centre described the explosion as “a dastardly and cowardly act by anti-national forces” and reaffirmed India’s “unwavering commitment to zero tolerance against terrorism in all its forms”.

Accused did multiple recces

An analysis of dump data retrieved from the mobile phone of Dr Muzammil Ganaie, who was arrested after police busted a white-collar terror module recently, showed that he conducted multiple reconnaissances of the Red Fort area in January this year, officials said.

Police said they suspect these reconnaissances were part of a larger conspiracy to target the historic monument on Republic Day, but were foiled due to intensified patrolling in the area at the time.

During investigation, it was found that two of the key suspects, Dr Umar, who was driving the Hyundai i20 car that exploded, and Muzammil, had travelled to Turkiye. Sources said the investigators have found Turkish immigration stamps in their passports and are examining whether the two met any foreign-based handler during their trip.

Red Ford EcoSport traced to Faridabad

A red Ford EcoSport car suspected to be linked to the Delhi Red Fort blast case has been traced and seized in Faridabad. When asked if the EcoSport car has been traced, a Faridabad police spokesperson confirmed over the phone, saying, "Yes, it has been found in Khandawali village".

Earlier, the Delhi Police sounded an alert across all police stations, posts, and border checkpoints in the national capital to trace the red Ford EcoSport car.

The alert was issued after the investigation revealed that other suspects, already connected to the Hyundai i20 used in the explosion, were also in possession of another red-coloured car.

Also Read: Delhi blast: Test explosion or premature detonation? Expert answers

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday (November 12) visited the LNJP Hospital and met the survivors, saying the perpetrators will be brought to justice.

"Went to LNJP Hospital and met those injured during the blast in Delhi. Praying for everyone's quick recovery. Those behind the conspiracy will be brought to justice!" Modi said in a post on X.

Visited Red Fort multiple times

Dr Muzammil visited the Red Fort multiple times to study the security arrangements and crowd density patterns along with Dr Umar Nabi, an assistant professor at the Al-Falah University who is said to have been driving the car that exploded on Monday, officials said.

Their movements were corroborated through tower location data and CCTV footage collected from nearby areas, they added.

"These visits were part of a detailed reconnaissance ahead of a planned attack on January 26," the officer said.

The Special Cell of Delhi Police has detained a Faridabad-based car dealer and directed all second-hand car dealers across Delhi and adjoining states to verify and share details of recent vehicle sales, officials said on Wednesday.

Accidentally triggered?

Officials have said that the findings of the initial investigation into the blast near the Red Fort in Delhi suggest it may have been "accidentally triggered" while a hastily assembled explosive device was being transported.

Investigators have zeroed in on a Pulwama-based doctor, Umar Nabi, who was driving the car used in the explosion that claimed 12 lives, and had alleged links to the terror module busted with the recovery of explosives mainly from neighbouring Faridabad in Haryana.

On Tuesday, the Jammu and Kashmir Police took a DNA sample from Nabi's mother to establish the relation.

Sources said that the explosion was triggered in panic and desperation after raids by the security agencies across multiple locations in Delhi-NCR and Pulwama, J-K, to nab suspects believed to be part of the terror module, PTI reported.

Also Read: Terror plot: Who are the 4 arrested doctors and the suspected suicide bomber?

"The suspect was likely spooked after the raid in Faridabad which forced him to relocate hastily, increasing the chance of a mishap. The incident appears to have shifted from a suspected suicide attack to an unintended explosion during transport," a senior police officer said.

However, police are probing all angles, including suicide bomber attack, the sources said.

The officer said that intelligence teams' first assessment suggests the improvised explosive device (IED) was assembled incorrectly, which limited its destructive effect.

"The bomb was premature and not fully developed, thus limiting the impact. The explosion did not create a crater and no shrapnel or projectiles were found," he added.

Al Falah University statement

Under the scanner after the blast, Al Falah University in Haryana's Faridabad on Wednesday said it has only a professional association with the two of its doctors arrested in connection with the Red Fort blast and is anguished by the unfortunate developments.

While distancing itself from the terror-linked doctors, the university in a statement asserted that it is a responsible institution and stands in solidarity with the nation.

The forensics team has collected around 40 samples from the blast site, including two cartridges, live ammunition, and samples of two different types of explosives.

Also Read: Red Fort blast probed as terror attack, Kashmir doctors under lens

During the investigation on Monday, 360 kgs of ammonium nitrate was recovered from Faridabad, where Dr Muzammil Ganaie and Dr Shaheen Sayeed, both connected to Al-Falah University, were arrested.

"The second explosive sample is believed to be more powerful than ammonium nitrate. Its exact composition will be confirmed after detailed forensic examination," an official said.

According to officials, the forensics team found the cartridges while inspecting the spot. Further investigation is underway to determine the nature of the explosives and how they were used in the blast.

Preacher detained

As part of the ongoing probe into the module's activities, Jammu and Kashmir Police on Wednesday detained a preacher from Mewat in Haryana.

Maulvi Ishtiyaq, who has been brought to Srinagar, was staying in a rented house within the Al Falah University complex in Faridabad. It was from his home that police had recovered more than 2,500 kgs of explosives, officials said.

Maulvi Ishtiyaq, who will be the ninth person to be nabbed in the case, is likely to be placed under arrest.

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