Red Fort blast: Bengal medical student arrested by NIA

A Bengal connection has now surfaced in the investigation into the explosion near Delhi’s Red Fort, with the National Investigation Agency (NIA) arresting a 22-year-old medical student from North Dinajpur on Friday (November 15).

Pre-dawn operation

The student, Nishar Alam, enrolled in the MBBS programme at Al-Falah University in Haryana, was detained during a pre-dawn operation in Suryapur Bazaar, police sources said on Saturday, adding he was later arrested.

According to sources, the NIA traced Nishar after contacting his father, Tauhid Alam, in Ludhiana while following leads generated during the blast inquiry.

Also Read: Delhi blast: 15 doctors at Al Falah University are missing, say investigators

It was then revealed that Nishar was in Konal village, his family’s ancestral home in North Dinajpur, where he had arrived two days earlier with his mother and sister to attend a relative’s wedding.

Investigators tracked his mobile phone location to the Suryapur Bazaar area. A special team travelled overnight from North Bengal, maintained surveillance through Thursday night, and executed the operation at dawn on Friday. After his detention, Nishar was taken to Islampur and later shifted to Siliguri for questioning.

Family stunned

Nishar’s arrest has left his family stunned. His uncle, Abul Kashem told reporters, “We know him as a quiet, polite boy focused only on his studies. We cannot imagine any connection to something like this.”

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His mother reportedly broke down upon hearing the news, and relatives gathered at the Konal home described the situation as “unbelievable.”

Confusion has spread through the village, with many struggling to comprehend how Nishar’s name became linked to the high-profile blast case.

Al-Falah University back in focus

The arrest brings Al-Falah University back under sharp scrutiny. Earlier in the week, the NIA detained three doctors linked to the same university in connection with the Red Fort blast. The recovery of large quantities of explosive chemicals and materials associated with bomb-making from locations linked to the accused has raised concerns about an organised network.

Authorities have also been investigating academic and financial irregularities at the university.

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The NIA has not disclosed the specific grounds on which Nishar’s name entered the investigation. Sources indicate that digital communications, phone records, and links among students and recently arrested doctors are being examined.

Multiple angles, including possible external handlers and professional networks, are under scrutiny.

Islamist extremist link to be probed

Police sources indicated that with the arrest in North Dinajpur, investigators are also expected to examine whether Nishar had any contact, direct or indirect, with Islamist extremist networks reportedly active in Bangladesh after the political upheaval following the fall of the Sheikh Hasina government.

Officers stressed that this angle is preliminary and exploratory, and any assessment will depend on what emerges from digital forensics and interrogation.

Also Read: Delhi blast probe hints at detonator use, possible link to Faridabad module

Incidentally, Bangladesh’s national security advisor Khalilur Rahman had a meeting with Indian High Commissioner Pranay Kumar Verma in Dhaka on Friday evening, amidst rising security concerns in New Delhi over the new Bangladeshi administration’s perceived tilt toward Pakistan’s Inter-Services Intelligence and other anti-India elements.

Diplomatic sources said the talks focused on pressing regional security challenges, intelligence cooperation, and several urgent bilateral issues flagged by India in recent weeks.

The backdrop

The Red Fort explosion, which killed several people and left many injured, has been described by the government as the result of a “conspiracy” involving anti-national forces.

The blast triggered a wide-ranging investigation stretching across several states and involving the NIA, state police units, and central intelligence agencies.

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

The Nishar’s arrest now adds another geographical link to the case, as investigators broaden their examination of what officials describe as a “white-collar terror module” involving medically trained individuals.