Red Fort blast toll rises to 12; Delhi Police files UAPA case, raids multiple locations

The death toll in the Red Fort blast climbed to 12 on Tuesday after three more victims succumbed to their injuries overnight, police said. The explosion, which tore through a slow-moving car near the Red Fort metro station during Monday evening rush hour, left 20 others injured and set multiple vehicles ablaze.

The Supreme Court on Tuesday paid homage to the victims of the car blast near the Red Fort here, and said the top court is committed to upholding the rule of law.

Chief Justice of India B R Gavai said in this hour of grief, the Supreme Court stands with the citizens of the country.

Probe deepens

Investigators confirmed that the blast occurred when a Hyundai i20, halted at a traffic signal, suddenly erupted in flames. The national capital has since been placed on high alert, with heightened security checks at airports, railway stations, and bus terminals.

Delhi Police on Tuesday registered an FIR under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act and the Explosives Act, calling the incident a “terror-related explosion.” Raids are being conducted across several locations in Delhi and Haryana as part of a coordinated search for the suspects.

Suspect identified from CCTV footage

A CCTV image has surfaced showing the suspected driver of the car shortly before the explosion at 6.52 pm. According to police sources, the suspect has been identified as Mohammad Umar, a doctor at Al Falah Medical College in Faridabad and an alleged member of the Faridabad terror module.

Investigators said Umar is a close associate of Adeel Ahmad Rather, a former senior resident doctor at the Government Medical College in Anantnag, who was arrested last week. The Faridabad raid that led to Monday’s chain of events was reportedly based on Rather’s interrogation inputs.

The Jammu and Kashmir Police have detained Umar’s mother, Shaheema Bano, and his brothers, Aashiq and Zahroor, for questioning. “We are shocked,” Umar’s sister-in-law told India Today.

Attack planned in panic after earlier arrests

Sources told India Today that Umar was inside the car and executed the explosion with two associates. The attack was “carried out in a panic” after the earlier arrests in Faridabad. Investigators believe the group used Ammonium Nitrate Fuel Oil to trigger the high-intensity blast that hit during peak tourist hours.

The car had been parked near Sunehri Masjid, close to the Red Fort, for nearly three hours before the explosion. CCTV footage shows the vehicle entering the parking lot at 3.19 pm and leaving at 6.48 pm—just minutes before it detonated. Initially, Umar’s face is visible, but later footage shows a masked man behind the wheel.

Probe widens across NCR

Delhi Police sources said the suspect appeared to be alone at the time of the blast. Over 100 CCTV clips, including footage from nearby toll plazas and roads, are now being examined to map the vehicle’s route. The car is believed to have entered Delhi from the Badarpur border, with its movements under scrutiny between there and the Red Fort.

At least 13 suspects are currently being interrogated in connection with the explosion as forensic teams continue to gather evidence from the site.

(With inputs from PTI)