New Delhi: The fatal car blast at Delhi's Red Fort that killed nine people on Monday, November 10, is now being linked to a suspected terror module with roots in Jammu and Kashmir's Pulwama.
According to a report by The Indian Express, police sources have revealed that the explosion appears to be linked to the “transnational and interstate” Jaish module busted in Faridabad a day earlier.
Investigators Zero In on Missing Doctor
According to the report, police officials in Jammu and Kashmir suspect that Umar Nabi, a doctor from Pulwama who went missing after his associates were arrested, is suspected to be the man captured on CCTV footage driving the Hyundai i20 that exploded near Red Fort.
Nabi, employed at Al Falah University’s School of Medical Sciences in Faridabad, reportedly disappeared following the arrest of Dr Muzammil Ahmad Ganai, his colleague from the same village.
Ganai’s arrest led police to 358 kilograms of suspected ammonium nitrate recovered from his rented accommodation in Faridabad’s Dhauj village. Another doctor, Dr Adeel Majeed Rather from Qazigund, was also arrested for alleged links to the terror outfits Jaish-e-Mohammad and Ansar Ghazwatul Hind (AGH).
5 People Detained From Pulwama
Officials said at least five people have been detained from Pulwama for questioning, including Amir Rashid, believed to be the car’s current owner, his brother, and three others from nearby villages. A woman doctor from Lucknow has also been picked up for questioning in connection with the alleged module.
Police believe the group had at least four medical professionals involved in its network, two of whom are already in custody. The arrests came after an investigation into the appearance of Jaish-related posters on the outskirts of Srinagar.
High Alert Across the Nation
The powerful explosion took place at around 6:52 pm on Monday when a slow-moving vehicle stopped at a red light near the Red Fort Metro Station. The blast damaged nearby vehicles and injured several pedestrians. Delhi Police have registered a case against the accused parties under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA), the Explosives Act, and the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi has reviewed the situation with Union Home Minister Amit Shah, who said that all possibilities were being explored and a thorough investigation was underway. The Home Ministry has also called for a high-profile meeting later in the day.
