Delhi Blast: DNA test confirms J&K doctor drove explosive-laden car; Turkey link under probe

New Delhi: Amid the probe into the Delhi blast which claimed 12 lives, DNA test of samples collected from the site has confirmed that Dr Umar Nabi was driving the car that exploded. According to police, DNA samples from Umar’s mother, collected on Tuesday, were matched with human remains recovered from the blast site, confirming his identity.

 “The results conclusively establish that Umar was behind the wheel of the car that detonated near Red Fort,” reported PTI, quoting Delhi police sources.

Umar, an assistant professor at Al-Falah University in Faridabad, was a key member of a so-called “white-collar” terror module recently busted by security agencies. He hailed from Koil village in Jammu and Kashmir’s Pulwama district.

On Wednesday, the government termed the car explosion near Red Fort as a "heinous terror incident" and directed investigating agencies to deal with the case with "utmost urgency and professionalism" to bring those behind it and their sponsors to justice without delay.

The Union Cabinet at its meeting, chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi upon his return from Bhutan, reaffirmed India's unwavering commitment to a policy of zero tolerance towards terrorism in all its forms and manifestations. It said the situation continues to be "closely monitored" at the highest levels of the government.

Turkey link of white collar terror module
Investigators have revealed that members of the “white-collar” terror module had originally planned to target the Red Fort on Republic Day as part of a wider plot to strike high-profile locations in Delhi. They had also conducted multiple recces of the monument, officials said.

During the investigation, it emerged that Umar Nabi and another accused, Dr Muzammil Ganaie, who was arrested in the Faridabad module bust, had travelled to Turkiye, where their handlers are believed to be based.

According to officials, the group’s handlers communicated with them via Telegram, directing the doctors to spread across India and select target sites following their trip to Turkey.

Investigators said the group also considered carrying out attacks during Diwali, but their plans were foiled before execution.

The radicalisation of the “doctors’ module” is believed to have occurred through two Telegram groups, including one reportedly run by Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM) operative Umar bin Khattab in Pakistan. Officials suspect the group was inspired by the 2008 Mumbai attacks and aimed to replicate a similar large-scale strike.

Fake IDs, vehicles and movement before Delhi blast
Police have also seized a red Ford EcoSport registered under Umar Nabi’s name in Faridabad. The address linked to the vehicle in Delhi’s New Seelampur turned out to be fake, suggesting the use of forged documents to purchase the car, a police officer said.

Before the explosion, Nabi reportedly visited a mosque near Ramleela Maidan, where he offered prayers and stayed for nearly three hours. CCTV footage shows him parking his Hyundai i20 at the Sunehri Masjid parking lot around 3.19 pm before driving toward the Red Fort.

“We are investigating all possibilities, including whether it was a suicide attack,” a senior police official told PTI.

The blast took place just hours after the arrest of eight individuals, including three doctors, linked to the Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM) and Ansar Ghazwat-ul-Hind (AGH) network. Authorities had recovered nearly 3,000 kilograms of ammonium nitrate, potassium chlorate, and sulphur from the terror module operating across Jammu and Kashmir, Haryana, and Uttar Pradesh.

(With PTI inputs)