Red Fort Blast Investigation Updates | Three weeks before the deadly explosion near Delhi’s Red Fort, posters supporting Jaish-e-Mohammad appeared across Srinagar. That was the first clue in an investigation that has now exposed a sophisticated “white collar” terror ecosystem, involving three Kashmiri doctors.
The Delhi blast, which killed 13 people and injured over 20, has shocked the nation’s security establishment and prompted a multi-agency probe involving the NIA, Delhi Police, and Jammu and Kashmir Police.
Investigators have identified three doctors — Dr Adeel Ahmad Rather, Dr Muzammil Shakeel, and Dr Umar Mohammad — as key suspects in the case.
Police arrested Adeel in Uttar Pradesh’s Saharanpur and Muzammil in Faridabad, Haryana, where they recovered a staggering 2,900 kg of ammonium nitrate, suspected to be the same explosive used in the Red Fort car blast.
Around 6:52 PM on Monday, a white Hyundai i20 exploded near Red Fort Metro Station, sending a fireball across the busy Netaji Subhash Marg, which connects Red Fort to Chandni Chowk. Eyewitnesses described the explosion as “massive,” and 15 fire engines battled the blaze for over half an hour.
The Car Trail: From Salman to Umar
Delhi Police traced the blast car (HR26CE7674) through multiple owners — from Salman to Devender, then Aamir, Tariq, and finally to Dr Umar Mohammad.
Around 6:52 PM on Monday, a white Hyundai i20 exploded near Red Fort Metro Station, sending a fireball across the busy Netaji Subhash Marg. (Photo: Social media)
Umar, already under investigation in the Jaish-e-Mohammad poster case, is believed to have been driving the car at the time of the explosion. A CCTV frame captured part of his face moments before the blast. Investigators plan to conduct a DNA test to confirm his identity.
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While officials have avoided using the term terror attack, Delhi Police registered a case under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) — the primary anti-terror law in India.
Union Home Minister Amit Shah has been briefed regularly on the probe, while reports suggest the National Investigation Agency (NIA) may soon take over the case.
According to intelligence officials, the blast may have been a panic-driven suicide attack by Dr Umar. His alleged co-conspirators, Adeel and Muzammil, were already under watch, and their arrest in Faridabad led to the recovery of bomb-making material and advanced weapons.
Faces of the “White Collar” Terror Network
The involvement of educated professionals in terror activities marks a worrying shift in recruitment strategy.
Dr Adeel Ahmad Rather previously worked at Government Medical College, Anantnag. Dr Muzammil Shakeel was a senior resident at Al Falah School of Medical Sciences, Faridabad. Dr Umar Mohammad, now suspected of carrying out the Red Fort explosion, was linked to both.
Police also arrested Dr Shaheen Shahid, Muzammil’s colleague from Lucknow, after weapons were recovered from her car.
According to Jammu and Kashmir Police, these individuals formed part of a “white collar terror network” that used encrypted messaging apps for communication and fund transfers.
“Funds were raised through professional and academic networks, under the guise of social or charitable causes. The accused were found involved in radicalisation, recruitment, and logistics for terrorist operations,” said a senior J&K Police officer.
