The National Investigation Agency has made a major revelation in the Red Fort blast case, describing the November 2025 explosion as a suicide bombing carried out by Dr Umar Un Nabi.
According to the NIA chargesheet, Umar was inside the Hyundai i20 when the improvised explosive device was detonated. Investigators say he activated the IED through a command mechanism from inside the vehicle itself. DNA evidence recovered from the blast site was also cited to establish that Umar was inside the car when it exploded.
The NIA has identified Umar as the alleged mastermind and operational in-charge of a revived Ansar Ghazwat-ul-Hind module. Investigators allege that he had been working since early 2022 to rebuild the dormant terror network and recruit radicalised individuals.
The Red Fort, according to the investigation, was not chosen randomly. The agency says the historic monument was selected because it was viewed as a symbol of the Indian state. Investigators also traced reconnaissance of the site to December 2023, suggesting that preparations for the attack had been underway for a considerable period.
The investigation further revealed that the vehicle was converted into a vehicle-borne improvised explosive device. Forensic examination reportedly detected traces of explosives, while investigators also recovered chemicals and laboratory equipment that they say indicated preparations for manufacturing and storing explosives.
The NIA has also pointed to extremist literature and encrypted communications as part of the radicalisation and planning process. The chargesheet reportedly refers to the “Lone Mujahid Pocket Book”, also known as How to Become an Assassin, as material associated with the accused module.
The chargesheet now provides investigators with a detailed account of how the conspiracy developed, and how it ultimately culminated in a suicide attack at one of Delhi’s most prominent national landmarks.
