Red Fort Blast: Three Kashmiri doctors are under investigation for a blast near Delhi’s Red Fort that killed nine people and injured over 20, with police describing the network as a “white collar terror ecosystem” using encrypted channels and professional networks for recruitment and funding.
Red Fort Blast Details
At 6:52 PM yesterday, a powerful explosion ripped through a white Hyundai i20 at a traffic signal on Netaji Subhash Marg near Red Fort. Eyewitnesses reported a “huge fireball,” with 15 fire engines requiring half an hour to control the blaze.
Suspects and Material Seizure
Adeel Ahmad Rather, Muzammil Shakeel, and Umar Mohammed are being investigated in connection with the blast. Rather and Shakeel’s arrests in Uttar Pradesh’s Saharanpur and Haryana’s Faridabad led to recovery of approximately 2,900 kg of suspected ammonium nitrate—the same chemical believed used in the Red Fort blast—along with sophisticated weapons including assault rifles and pistols.
Vehicle Trail
Police traced the i20 car (HR26CE7674) through multiple owners: Salman sold it to Devender in March, who passed it to Aamir, then Tariq, before reaching Dr. Umar Mohammad. CCTV footage before the explosion shows part of Umar’s face. Police are planning DNA tests to confirm the driver’s identity.
Suicide Attack Theory
Investigators are examining whether Umar, potentially panicked by his associates’ arrests and the massive material seizure, conducted a suicide attack in desperation.
‘White Collar’ Recruitment Shift
The suspects’ professional backgrounds signal a fundamental shift in terrorist recruitment, according to security agencies. Adeel worked at Government Medical College, Anantnag, before moving to Saharanpur’s private hospital.
Muzammil served as senior resident at Al Falah School of Medical Sciences & Research Centre for three years. Dr. Shaheen Shahid from Lucknow was also arrested after weapons were recovered from her car.
Investigation Scope
Jammu and Kashmir police stated the group used encrypted channels for indoctrination, coordination, fund movement, and logistics: “Funds were raised through professional and academic networks, under the guise of social/charitable causes.
The accused were found involved in identifying persons, to radicalise, initiate and recruit them to terrorist ranks, besides raising funds, arranging logistics, procurement of arms/ammunition and material for preparing IEDs.”
A case has been registered under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act. Union Home Minister Amit Shah confirmed security agencies are probing all angles, with reports suggesting the National Investigation Agency may assume control.
