New Delhi: Delhi Police sources have identified Dr Umar Mohammad as the key suspect behind the devastating blast near the Red Fort that killed nine people and injured more than twenty. Investigators say Umar was linked to the Pakistan-based terror group Jaish-e-Mohammed and was part of a module recently exposed in Haryana’s Faridabad. After learning that several members of the group had been arrested, he allegedly panicked and triggered the explosion on Monday evening.
The blast occurred around 6.52 pm near the Red Fort Metro Station, tearing through a Hyundai i20 car and damaging several vehicles around it. Police have registered a case under anti-terrorism laws and are looking closely at the possibility of a suicide attack. According to sources, Umar, a doctor by profession, remained inside the car for more than three hours at a nearby parking lot before driving out shortly before the explosion. CCTV footage shows the vehicle entering the lot at 3.19 pm and leaving around 6.30 pm.
Investigators believe Ammonium Nitrate Fuel Oil was used in the attack. The discovery of 350 kilograms of ammonium nitrate in Faridabad on the same day raised further alarm, especially after two arrested module members, Dr Mujammil Shakeel and Dr Adil Rather, were linked to the large seizure of suspected explosives. Police say Umar owned the car used in the blast, which had changed hands several times in recent months as part of a deliberate attempt to obscure its trail.
Scenes at LNJP Hospital later in the night were filled with grief and confusion as families struggled to obtain information about their injured relatives. Several complained of miscommunication and delays while trying to find their loved ones. Some victims were placed in intensive care units, prompting emotional appeals from distraught relatives. Home Minister Amit Shah visited the hospital to review the situation.
The United States said it is monitoring developments closely and remains ready to provide consular assistance. Meanwhile, Delhi Police, along with national agencies including the NIA and NSG, continue to examine forensic evidence, review CCTV footage and reconstruct the sequence of events that led to one of the most serious terror incidents in the capital in recent years.
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