Delhi Police suspect Pulwama doctor Umar Mohammad, linked to the Faridabad terror module, drove the car that exploded near Red Fort killing nine. Investigators probe Jaish link, ammonium nitrate use, and possible suicide bombing angle.

Investigators believe the man driving the car that exploded near Delhi's Red Fort on Monday evening, killing at least nine people and injuring 20 others, may have had links to the busted terror network in Faridabad. Police sources told PTI news agency that the driver, identified as Dr Umar Mohammad, hails from Pulwama in Jammu and Kashmir.

Early forensic analysis indicates the use of ammonium nitrate, fuel oil, and detonators in the high-intensity explosion that left several vehicles charred and shattered glass panels of nearby buildings and the metro station.

A police source told PTI that initial evidence suggests the Red Fort blast could be connected to the Faridabad terror module, from where 360 kg of ammonium nitrate had been recovered.“Final reports are awaited,” the source said.

Just hours before the explosion in Delhi, Haryana Police had arrested eight people - including three doctors - and seized 2,900 kg of explosive material. The seizure included ammonium nitrate, potassium nitrate, and sulphur, along with arms and ammunition.

Police sources now allege that Umar Mohammad, a doctor by profession, was affiliated with the Jaish-e-Mohammad and linked to the same Faridabad network.

Investigators told PTI that a man named Tariq, also from Pulwama, had handed over the Hyundai i20 to Umar Mohammad. After learning that his associates had been arrested, Umar allegedly carried out the attack“fearing he might soon be caught.”

CCTV footage collected from around the Red Fort area shows a masked man driving the Hyundai i20, police sources said.“Multiple teams have been deployed to scan CCTV from the vicinity of the Red Fort and adjoining routes,” one officer confirmed.

Another official said the car had been parked for nearly three hours in a nearby parking lot before the explosion.“Footage of different parking lots are also being monitored,” the source added.

Following the deadly blast, Delhi Police launched extensive search operations across Daryaganj and Paharganj, checking hotels, verifying registers, and questioning staff for any leads matching the suspect's description.

All police stations have been instructed to stay alert and step up surveillance around 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 senior police officer.

At all entry points to Delhi, both private and commercial vehicles are being subjected to intensive checks and verification, officials confirmed.

An FIR has been registered at Kotwali Police Station under multiple sections of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA), the Explosives Act, and the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS). The case invokes Sections 16 and 18 of the UAPA, which deal with terror acts and conspiracy.

Nine people lost their lives in the blast, while 20 others, including two women, sustained injuries. Most victims were rushed to LNJP Hospital for treatment.

Among the deceased were Ashok Kumar (34) from Amroha, Uttar Pradesh, and Amar Kataria (35) from Delhi. The remaining victims, aged between 28 and 58 years, are yet to be identified. One mutilated body was found inside the burnt car.

Videos recorded by local shopkeepers and commuters showed mangled vehicles, charred bodies, and scattered debris near the blast site. Eyewitnesses described the explosion as deafening -“a thunderous boom that sent people running for cover.”

Raids are being conducted at multiple locations across Delhi and NCR by the Special Cell, local police, and teams from the NIA and NSG.“All the senior officers are also looking that the blast related to Faridabad terror network,” another source told PTI.

Police are examining whether the explosion was a suicide bombing or part of a larger coordinated terror plot.

The investigation continues, with multiple agencies piecing together what could be one of the most alarming terror-linked incidents in the capital in recent years.

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