Delhi blast toll rises to 12; CCTV captures 'doctor linked to Faridabad terror module' driving car: Here is what we know so far

A man named Tariq from Pulwama, who has been arrested in the terror module case, is said to have given the car to Umar Mohammad, a doctor

An explosion in slow-moving a car near Red Fort in Delhi on Monday evening, killed 12 people and injured at at least 20. Authorities are investigating it as a terror attack, likely linked to a recently busted terror module in Faridabad, near the national capital.

What we know so far

Initial investigations indicate that Umar Mohammad, a Pulwama resident and a doctor, was allegedly driving the Hyundai i20 car that was used in the explosion near the parking area of the Red Fort Metro Station.

Preliminary findings by the investigators suggest that ammonium nitrate, fuel oil and detonators may have been used in the blast, police sources said.

Police are also probing whether it could be a case of a "suicide bombing" or a larger terror plot, said a source.

CCTV camera footage

Police sources said the first picture of the man driving the car emerged in CCTV camera footage of the area. He allegedly had links to the terror module in Faridabad, where a huge cache of explosive material, where 360 kg of ammonium nitrate was seized, they said.

"Multiple teams have been deployed to scan CCTV camera footage from the vicinity of the Red Fort and adjoining routes to know more about the masked man driving the Hyundai i20 car in which the explosion occurred," a police source said, according to PTI.

"We also got to know that the vehicle was parked in a nearby parking lot for three hours, before the blast. Footage of different parking lots are also being monitored," the source added.

2,900 kg of explosives seized

Hours before the blast in Delhi, eight people, including three doctors, were arrested and 2,900 kg of explosives were seized with the uncovering of a “white collar” terror module on Monday.

The 2,900 kg of explosive material recovered in Faridabad includes ammonium nitrate, potassium nitrate and sulphur. Of this, 360 kg of inflammable material, suspected to be ammonium nitrate, and some arms and ammunition were recovered, according to the police.

Associated with JeM?

Umar Mohammad, who is a doctor by profession, was allegedly associated with the Jaish-e-Mohammad terror module, they said.

According to sources, a man named Tariq from Pulwama, Jammu and Kashmir, who has been arrested, is said to have given the Hyundai i20 car to Umar Mohammad.

After his fellow doctors who were allegedly part of the terror module were arrested, Umar Mohammad allegedly carried out this terror attack fearing that he too might be caught, sources added.

Car details, who owned it?

The car involved in the incident was Hyundai i20 with registration number HR 26 CE 7674.

The Delhi Police detained car owner Mohd. Salman late on Monday evening and questioned him about the vehicle, the officer said, adding that he sold it to a person in Okhla, namely Devendra, one-and-a-half years ago.

Later, the vehicle was sold to someone in Ambala and it was again sold to a man named Tariq in Pulwama, the officer said.

While the car was sold by Salman, it was learned that the buyer had not changed the registration.

Toll rises to 12

The death toll in the blast rose to 12, with three more people succumbing to their injuries, the police said on Tuesday. Nine people died and at least 20 were injured in the incident on Monday evening.

FIR under UAPA

An FIR has been registered under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, the Explosive Substances Act, and murder charges, among others. The Delhi Police Special Cell, National Investigation Agency (NIA), National Security Guard (NSG), and forensic teams are jointly investigating the incident.

Search operations

The source added that an overnight search operation was conducted at hotels and guest houses in Daryaganj and Paharganj areas to trace possible suspects.

Police checked hotel registers, verified entries, and questioned several staff members to identify anyone matching the suspect's description.

Security intensified

Following the blast, security across the national capital has been intensified, and vehicle checking at all border points has been intensified as well.

All vehicles entering Delhi, whether private or commercial, are being thoroughly checked and verified as part of heightened security measures, officials said.

A high alert has been sounded in Delhi and a few other parts of the country. Major cities like Mumbai and Bengaluru have been put on high alert after the explosion in the national capital.

(With PTI inputs)