Red Fort blast: Was Dr Umar Nabi a shoe-bomber? Here’s what investigators have found
Red Fort blast: Authorities recovered the shoe from beneath the driver's seat, close to the right front tyre, with a metal-like substance inside, believed to have played a role in the detonation.
- Nov 17, 2025,
- Updated Nov 17, 2025 2:32 PM IST
Investigators probing the deadly Red Fort blast now suspect that Jaish-linked suicide bomber Dr Umar un Nabi may have acted as a "shoe bomber", deploying an explosive device concealed in his footwear to trigger the explosion that resulted in 13 deaths and multiple injuries. Fresh forensic and material evidence from the blast site has shifted attention to a shoe discovered inside Umar's i20 car.
Authorities recovered the shoe from beneath the driver's seat, close to the right front tyre, with a metal-like substance inside, believed to have played a role in the detonation. Traces of the volatile explosive TATP, known as the "mother of Satan" for its extreme sensitivity, were detected on both the tyre and the shoe, supporting the theory of a concealed initiation mechanism in Umar's footwear.
Officials have confirmed that the Red Fort explosion involved a combination of TATP and ammonium nitrate, highlighting the sophisticated nature of the attack. Additional evidence, including explosive material recovered from beneath the rear seat area of the car, points towards the possibility of more intricate planning. Probing teams note that Jaish operatives had amassed a substantial quantity of TATP in preparation for a large-scale attack, with the Red Fort blast forming a central component of their strategy.
The investigation has also established a financial link, with Rs 20 lakh channelled to the terror module through the arrested Dr Shaheen Shahid. She is alleged to have facilitated the funds necessary for planning the Delhi blast. The sequence of funds and resource mobilisation is under close scrutiny as teams reconstruct the module's operational logistics.
The growing body of evidence has led agencies to draw parallels with the December 2001 attempt by Richard Reid, the infamous "shoe bomber" who tried, and failed, to detonate TATP hidden in his shoes aboard an American Airlines flight from Paris to Miami.
Officials stated, "The pattern and placement of explosives in the present case bear similarities to Reid's method, and it is now increasingly believed that Umar may have adopted a comparable technique to carry out the Red Fort blast." The ongoing probe is focused on reconstructing the precise mechanism used in the attack.
Sources disclosed that the Jaish-linked terror module, dismantled after the Delhi blast, had planned twin attacks in various cities under the codename 'D-6'. 'Plan A’ was to execute attacks in different cities on the anniversary of Babri masjid demolition, which was foiled, sources said. 'Plan B’ was to execute an attack in Delhi, which they did. These details have offered investigators critical insight into the module's intentions and the broader scope of the thwarted operations.
Investigators probing the deadly Red Fort blast now suspect that Jaish-linked suicide bomber Dr Umar un Nabi may have acted as a "shoe bomber", deploying an explosive device concealed in his footwear to trigger the explosion that resulted in 13 deaths and multiple injuries. Fresh forensic and material evidence from the blast site has shifted attention to a shoe discovered inside Umar's i20 car.
Authorities recovered the shoe from beneath the driver's seat, close to the right front tyre, with a metal-like substance inside, believed to have played a role in the detonation. Traces of the volatile explosive TATP, known as the "mother of Satan" for its extreme sensitivity, were detected on both the tyre and the shoe, supporting the theory of a concealed initiation mechanism in Umar's footwear.
Officials have confirmed that the Red Fort explosion involved a combination of TATP and ammonium nitrate, highlighting the sophisticated nature of the attack. Additional evidence, including explosive material recovered from beneath the rear seat area of the car, points towards the possibility of more intricate planning. Probing teams note that Jaish operatives had amassed a substantial quantity of TATP in preparation for a large-scale attack, with the Red Fort blast forming a central component of their strategy.
The investigation has also established a financial link, with Rs 20 lakh channelled to the terror module through the arrested Dr Shaheen Shahid. She is alleged to have facilitated the funds necessary for planning the Delhi blast. The sequence of funds and resource mobilisation is under close scrutiny as teams reconstruct the module's operational logistics.
The growing body of evidence has led agencies to draw parallels with the December 2001 attempt by Richard Reid, the infamous "shoe bomber" who tried, and failed, to detonate TATP hidden in his shoes aboard an American Airlines flight from Paris to Miami.
Officials stated, "The pattern and placement of explosives in the present case bear similarities to Reid's method, and it is now increasingly believed that Umar may have adopted a comparable technique to carry out the Red Fort blast." The ongoing probe is focused on reconstructing the precise mechanism used in the attack.
Sources disclosed that the Jaish-linked terror module, dismantled after the Delhi blast, had planned twin attacks in various cities under the codename 'D-6'. 'Plan A’ was to execute attacks in different cities on the anniversary of Babri masjid demolition, which was foiled, sources said. 'Plan B’ was to execute an attack in Delhi, which they did. These details have offered investigators critical insight into the module's intentions and the broader scope of the thwarted operations.