Delhi blast | Initial probe suggests detonators used, links with Faridabad terror module

New Delhi: The man driving the car that exploded near the Red Fort killing at least nine people allegedly also had links to the Faridabad terror module where huge cache of explosive material was seized, Delhi Police sources said on Tuesday.

According to sources, 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 police suggest ammonium nitrate, fuel oil and detonators may have been used in the blast near the Red Fort that killed at least nine people, police sources said.

A police source said initial findings suggest a possible link between the Delhi blast to the Faridabad terror module where 360 kg of ammonium nitrate was seized. "Final reports are awaited," the source added.

Police said CCTV footage of the car that exploded shows a "masked man" driving the car. Multiple teams have been deployed to scan CCTV from the vicinity of the Red Fort and adjoining routes, they added.

Delhi Police remains on high alert after a powerful blast ripped through a slow-moving car at a traffic signal near the Red Fort metro station on Monday evening, killing at least nine people, injuring 20 people and leaving several vehicles gutted.

Hours before the blast in Delhi, eight people, including three doctors, were arrested and 2,900 kg of explosives 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 police.

Police sources alleged Umar Mohammad was another doctor in the Faridabad module who have already been arrested.

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

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

"Multiple teams have been deployed to scan CCTV 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.

"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 bening monitored," the source added.

He 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.

All police stations in the national capital have been asked to stay alert and maintain strict vigil at local markets, metro stations, bus stands, and railway stations.

"Teams have been asked to stay alert, attend all emergency-related calls, intensify checking in their area, and report any suspicious activity immediately," said a police officer.

Police have registered an FIR into the matter and multiple teams from the Special Cell, Forensic Science Laboratory (FSL), and local police are investigating the circumstances surrounding the explosion. They are also probing whether it could be a case of a "suicide bombing" or a larger terror plot, said the source.

Delhi Police Commissioner Satish Golcha had said the explosion took place around 6.52 pm in a slow-moving Hyundai i20 car at a traffic signal near the Red Fort Metro Station.

"There were passengers inside the vehicle. Other vehicles nearby were also affected. Teams from the Delhi Police, FSL, NIA, and NSG inspected the place of occurrence and are taking stock of the situation," he said.

Officers said the blast was so powerful that it gutted several vehicles and shattered window panes of nearby cars, buildings, and glass panels of the metro station. According to the Delhi Fire Services, ten fire tenders were rushed to the spot, and the blaze was brought under control by 7.29 pm.

"All the senior officers are also looking that the blast related to Faridabad terror network," another source said.

Videos shared by local traders showed the magnitude of the explosion --” mangled bodies, damaged vehicles, and scattered debris near the blast site.

Police said nine people were killed, while 20 others, including two women, were injured and taken to LNJP Hospital. Among the injured, 12 are residents of Delhi, and eight belong to other states, including Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, and Himachal Pradesh.

The deceased include Ashok Kumar (34) from Amroha, Uttar Pradesh, and Amar Kataria (35) from Delhi, while others remain unidentified and are aged between 28 and 58 years. One mutilated body was recovered from the mangled remains of the car, officials said.