Amit Shah Reviews Security After Deadly Blast Near Red Fort

New Delhi: The investigation into the Red Fort blast that claimed 12 lives has been handed over to the National Investigation Agency (NIA) after the Delhi police invoked provisions of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act and the Explosive Substances Act. The decision followed two review meetings chaired by Union home minister Amit Shah, signalling that the Centre views the explosion as an "act of terror".

Amid the massive manhunt to track down those involved, the investigators have traced the 45 km of the 11-hour route of the Hyundai i20 used in the blast, which sources said was likely triggered by a suspected “Fidayeen” in panic as agencies closed in on members of the terror module.

Preliminary findings suggest the explosion was a “suicide attack”. Investigators are probing how the group managed to acquire and store large quantities of explosives, including ammonium nitrate, pointing to what the probe agency officials described as a “white-collar” terror network.

The i20 was driven by Dr Muhammad Umar Nabi, a doctor from Pulwama in south Kashmir, who is believed to have been killed in the blast. Nabi, suspected to be linked to an interstate terror module, was teaching at Al-Falah University in Faridabad and had last visited Kashmir two months ago. The Jammu and Kashmir police have taken a DNA sample from his mother to match with remains found at the site. While initially there were claims that there were three people in the car, another account said only Nabi, who was on the run after the busting of the Faridabad terror module, was the lone occupant.

Investigations show Nabi waited for nearly three hours in the Sunehri Masjid parking lot near the Red Fort while scouring the internet for updates regarding his associates' arrest in Faridabad. The car reportedly began its 45 km journey from Faridabad early Monday morning and detonated near the Red Fort Metro Station around 6.52 pm.

At the review meetings, Mr Shah directed agencies to “hunt down every culprit” and warned, “Everyone involved will face the full wrath of our security agencies.”

“Chaired review meetings on the Delhi car blast with senior officials. Instructed them to hunt down each and every culprit behind this incident,” Mr Shah posted on X.

The meetings were attended by Union home secretary Govind Mohan, Intelligence Bureau director Tapan Kumar Deka, Delhi police commissioner Satish Golcha, NIA director-general Sadanand Date and Jammu and Kashmir DGP Nalin Prabhat (virtually).

The explosion on Monday occurred hours after the arrest of eight people, including three doctors, Dr Shaheen Sayeed, Dr Muzammil Ganaie and Dr Adil Ahmad all linked to the Al-Falah University and the seizure of about 3,000 kg of explosives in connection with a Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) and Ansar Ghazwat-ul-Hind-linked “white-collar” module operating across Kashmir, Haryana and Uttar Pradesh.

Investigators said Shaheen headed the women’s recruitment wing Jamaat-ul-Mominat of JeM in India.

Muzammil was wanted by the J&K police in a separate case related to a social media post allegedly supporting the banned organisation Jaish-e-Mohammed.

Investigators said a man named Tariq, also from Pulwama, had handed over the i20 to Nabi. He has also been arrested. Teams from the Delhi police, NIA, and the Central intelligence agencies have fanned out across Delhi, UP and Kashmir, detaining four more suspects, two of whom are under joint interrogation.

Delhi, meanwhile, remains on high alert, with enhanced security at airports, railway stations and bus terminals. CCTV footage from the Red Fort and nearby routes is being scanned for leads.

With raids continuing in several states, security agencies are working to unravel the full network behind what investigators now call one of the most sophisticated “white-collar” terror modules operating across northern India.