Red Fort Blast Updates: NIA Takes Over Probe; Red EcoSport Seized in Haryana, Nine Detained in UP

New Delhi, November 12, 2025 – The National Investigation Agency (NIA) has officially taken over the probe into the deadly blast near Delhi’s Red Fort Metro Station, which claimed nine lives and injured at least twenty people on Monday evening. Investigators are now focusing on a suspected terror module with links across Delhi, Haryana, and Uttar Pradesh.

According to sources, the explosion occurred around 6:52 PM on November 10, when a Hyundai i20 car suddenly went up in flames near the Red Fort’s Gate No. 1, triggering chaos in the high-security area. Eyewitnesses reported hearing a loud explosion followed by plumes of smoke, with several vehicles damaged and victims lying on the road before emergency services arrived.

Initial intelligence reports suggest that the suspects may have accidentally triggered the device due to a technical fault while transporting explosives. The car’s owner, identified as Dr. Umar Mohammad, is believed to be connected to a wider terror network operating from Faridabad, where police recently seized 3,000 kg of ammonium nitrate during coordinated raids.

Investigators revealed that ammonium nitrate — recovered from two residential buildings in Faridabad’s Ballabgarh area — was the primary chemical used in the Delhi blast. The seizure took place shortly after two key suspects, Dr. Mujammil Shakeel and Dr. Adil Rather, were arrested from the same locality. Following these arrests, sources suggest Umar Mohammad panicked and detonated the device prematurely while attempting to flee the city.

As part of the widening investigation, a red Ford EcoSport was found abandoned in Palwal district of Haryana late Tuesday night. Forensic teams are examining the vehicle for traces of explosives and DNA evidence. Meanwhile, nine individuals have been taken into custody from Uttar Pradesh, including three doctors associated with Al-Falah University in Faridabad.

The NIA, Delhi Police Special Cell, and Intelligence Bureau (IB) are jointly interrogating the suspects, while bomb disposal experts are reconstructing the explosive device to determine its make and triggering mechanism.

Authorities have issued emergency helpline numbers for the public and relatives of victims:

• LNJP Hospital: 011-23233400 (Emergency: 011-23239249)

• AIIMS Trauma Center: 011-26594405

• Delhi Police Emergency: 112

• Police Control Room: 011-22910010 / 011-22910011

Officials confirmed that security has been intensified across the national capital, with additional checks at metro stations, markets, and key landmarks. Home Ministry sources stated that the Centre is monitoring developments closely, with Union Home Minister Amit Shah receiving continuous updates from the NIA and Delhi Police.

As investigations deepen, authorities are exploring possible links between the Faridabad module and cross-border terror networks, marking this as one of the most significant terror-related probes in Delhi in recent years.