Red Fort Blast: Investigators believe Ammonium Nitrate Fuel Oil (ANFO) and detonators were used in the high-intensity blast near Delhi’s Red Fort that killed nine people and injured over 20 others. Preliminary investigation has detected traces of ammonium nitrate near the blast site, though forensic reports will confirm the exact explosive composition.
Suspect Linked to Busted Terror Module
The attack is believed to have been carried out by Dr. Mohammad Umar, a member of a Faridabad-based terror module dismantled last week. Sources told India Today that Dr. Umar was alone in a Hyundai i20 car when it exploded, and had planned the attack with two associates.
Sources indicate Dr. Umar panicked following the arrest of his associate, Dr. Muzammil Shakeel, after authorities recovered a massive cache of arms and ammunition, including 2,500 kilograms of IED-making material, from Faridabad, Haryana. The blast occurred around 7 pm near the Red Fort, with such intensity that it shattered windows of vehicles parked several meters away.
Understanding ANFO as an Explosive
ANFO is a highly combustible mixture commonly used in industrial explosives for mining, quarrying, and construction. The compound consists of approximately 94% porous prilled ammonium nitrate serving as an oxidizing agent, and about 6% fuel oil acting as fuel for the reaction.
Terrorists favour ANFO for improvised explosive devices due to its low cost and high stability. The material requires a primer or booster charge for detonation, as it cannot be triggered by standard blasting caps alone. ANFO gained notoriety in the 1995 Oklahoma City bombing in the United States.
Faridabad Module Busted Before Attack
The attack occurred one day after Jammu and Kashmir police, coordinating with other agencies, busted the Faridabad terror module involving Jaish-e-Mohammed and Ansar Ghazwat-ul-Hind. The raid at Dr. Shakeel’s rented premises in Fatehpur Taga village yielded 360 kg of highly inflammable material, suspected ammonium nitrate, along with chemicals and reagents.
Dr. Shakeel, from Pulwama in J&K, worked at Faridabad’s Al-Falah University and Hospital. Authorities traced him through another doctor, Adeel Rather from Kulgam district, who was arrested from a hospital in Saharanpur, Uttar Pradesh.
