Security has been beefed up across the country. A scene from Gurgaon Railway Station. PTI Photo
Delhi blast a heinous terror act, says Centre after high-level meet
The Centre describes the explosion as “a dastardly and cowardly act by anti-national forces''
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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Live Updates
- 12 Nov 2025 10:20 AM IST
Faridabad car dealer detained for selling Hyundai i20 to Delhi car blast suspects
The car dealer in Faridabad, Haryana, who sold the Hyundai i20 to suspects Dr Umar Un Nabi and Tariq Ahmad Malik, has been detained and is being questioned by the police, according to sources quoted by ANI.
Police 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.
- 12 Nov 2025 10:14 AM IST
Delhi car blast a case of 'total intelligence failure': Congress leader
Reacting to the blast in Delhi, Congress leader V Hanumantha Rao termed it a clear case of "total intelligence failure." He urged the NDA government to take the matter seriously, warning that if such incidents could occur in the national capital, they might happen in other states as well. "My deepest condolences to those who lost their lives and those who were injured," he added.
- 12 Nov 2025 7:24 AM IST
Blast victims: Stories of dreams, struggle, heartbreak from small towns
The powerful explosion near Red Fort not only shattered Delhi's calm but also tore through homes hundreds of kilometres away, where families are now struggling to come to terms with the sudden loss of their loved ones.
From the quiet lanes of Shravasti and Deoria to the bustling streets of Meerut, Amroha and Shamli, the victims of the deadly car blast were everyday people -- drivers of taxi and e-rickshaw, cosmetic store owners, DTC bus conductors and all working to support their families, their dreams for better lives.
Among the victims was 32-year-old Dinesh Mishra of Ganeshpur village in Shravasti district, who had been working at a printing press in Delhi's Chawri Bazar to support his wife and three children.
His father, Bhure Mishra, recalled the time Dinesh came home for Diwali.
"He was a hardworking man. He wanted to give his children a good education. We still can't believe he is gone," Bhure said, his voice breaking as neighbours gathered to console the family.
District Magistrate Ashwini Pandey said Dinesh's body was being brought back to Shravasti and would reach by Tuesday evening.
"We have spoken to the family and assured them of all possible assistance," he told PTI.
In Meerut, another family was torn apart not only by grief but also by a painful dispute over where to lay their son to rest.
Mohsin, 32, who had moved to Delhi two years ago to earn a living by driving an e-rickshaw, died in the blast while ferrying passengers.
When his body reached his hometown in Lohia Nagar, an emotional disagreement broke out between his wife, Sultana and his parents. While Sultana wanted him buried in Delhi, where they had settled and their children were studying, his parents insisted he be laid to rest in Meerut.
Neighbours and relatives tried to mediate as both sides broke down in tears.
"The blast took Mohsin away, but now even the family is divided," said a neighbour. After several hours of tension and police intervention, Sultana finally took the body for burial.
Eighteen-year-old Nauman Ansari from Shamli had gone to Delhi to buy cosmetics for his shop when the explosion cut short his life.
"Nauman was killed on the spot while his cousin Aman sustained injuries and is undergoing treatment at Lok Nayak Hospital in Delhi," his uncle Furkan told PTI.
Sonu, a relative working near New Delhi Railway Station, said, "Early this morning, I got a call from my uncle saying Nauman was no more and asked me to reach LNJP Hospital." DTC conductor Ashok Kumar, 34, from Hasanpur in Amroha district, had been supporting his family and parents through his job in Delhi.
He is survived by his wife Sonam, daughters Aarohi and Kavya, aged 8 and 5, and three-year-old son, Aarav. "Ashok was the sole breadwinner for the family," panchayat member Pintu Bhati said.
Lokesh Kumar Agarwal, 58, a fertiliser dealer from Hasanpur, also lost his life in the incident. He had gone to Delhi to see a relative admitted to Sir Ganga Ram Hospital.
"Lokesh was a kind-hearted man who helped everyone in need," said his neighbour Yashpal Singh.
In Deoria, 22-year-old Shiva Jaiswal, who ran a small ready-made garment shop in Bhaluani town, was among those injured in the blast. He had gone to Delhi to buy new stock for the festivals when he was caught in the explosion.
His sister, Purnima Jaiswal, told PTI that Shiva had called earlier that day to say he had finished shopping and would visit their aunt before returning home.
"Then we heard about the blast on TV and his phone went unreachable. Later, we found out he was admitted to LNJP Hospital," she said.
Shiva's mother, Maya Jaiswal, a local BJP Mahila Morcha worker, said she was relieved that her son was alive but shaken by how close the tragedy had come. "He was lucky this time," she said softly.
Another deceased, 22-year-old Pankaj Sahni, drove a taxi in the capital to feed his family in Bihar.
His uncle, Ramdev Sahni, said he heard about his death through a phone call from Kotwali Police Station in Delhi.
"He drove a taxi for three years. We were told the back of his head was blown off. The car, a WagonR, was completely damaged," Sahni said while waiting outside the mortuary.
According to Delhi police, 12 people died and over 20 were injured in the blast which is now being probed by the National Investigation Agency as a likely terror attack.
Delhi and its neighbouring states, including Uttar Pradesh, are on high alert. PTI
- 12 Nov 2025 7:15 AM IST
FSL collects 40 samples from blast site
The Delhi Forensic Science Laboratory (FSL) has collected 40 samples from the blast site, which include mangled remains of the vehicle and human body parts, and these will be analysed for chemical traces. The laboratory has constituted a special team for analysis of samples, sources said, PTI reported.
The Delhi Police's FIR called the explosion "a bomb blast" as it invoked sections pertaining to conspiracy and punishment for a terror attack under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, officials said.
