New Delhi: Investigating agencies examining the Delhi car blast that killed 13 people and injured many have concluded that accused Mohammad Umar, also known as Umar un Nabi, assembled the explosive inside his vehicle while parked near the Red Fort, according to a report by NDTV.
As per the report, his movements were tracked through CCTV footage and phone analysis, revealing a three-hour window in which he remained inside the car.
How investigators pieced together Umar’s movements
The released CCTV footage shows Umar entering the Sunehri Masjid parking area at 3:19 pm and leaving at 6:28 pm, with the blast taking place at around 6:52 pm. Investigators noted that he did not step out of his vehicle during this period.
Sources told NDTV that Umar had been in touch with his handlers after reaching Delhi that morning, discussing potential targets as he drove through Mayur Vihar and Connaught Place before heading to Old Delhi. The Red Fort parking was initially chosen due to the monument’s symbolic value, but with the fort closed to visitors on Monday and the parking lot nearly empty, the plan was altered.
How the final target was selected
Investigators told NDTV that once the Red Fort parking was deemed unsuitable, Umar and his handlers shifted the target to the more crowded Netaji Subhash Marg, which links the Red Fort and Chandni Chowk. During the three hours in the parking area, he is believed to have assembled the explosive device. As soon as it was ready, he drove out and detonated it shortly after reaching the chosen stretch.
Investigators also cited earlier findings that Umar had begun to panic after his associates Muzammil and Shaheen, both doctors, were arrested in connection with the recovery of 2,900 kilograms of explosives in Faridabad. As per reports, believing that investigators would soon reach him, Umar allegedly decided to execute the plan immediately. A quick operational decision followed and he drove into Delhi with the explosives packed into his vehicle.
