Red Fort blast: Pulwama doctor was driving car, had links to terror module

New Delhi/Srinagar, Nov 11 (PTI) The Red Fort blast probe was handed over to premier anti-terror agency NIA on Tuesday as investigators zeroed in on a Pulwama doctor with links to a terror module busted with the recovery of explosives mainly from Faridabad. Dr Umar Nabi was driving the car that exploded and is believed to be one of the 12 people killed, officials said.

A day after the blast on Monday evening, Jammu and Kashmir police took a DNA sample from his mother to establish the connect.

"We have taken the DNA sample in order to match with the parts found at the scene of the blast," an official said in Srinagar.

The case was given to the National Investigation Agency after a review meeting chaired by Home Minister Amit Shah. This is a clear indication that the blast is being considered an act of terror as the NIA is mandated to probe terror cases only.

The Red Fort blast on a busy Monday evening came hours after eight people, including three doctors, were arrested and 2,900 kg of explosives seized with the uncovering of a “white collar” terror module involving the Jaish-e-Mohammed and Ansar Ghazwat-ul-Hind and spanning Kashmir, Haryana and Uttar Pradesh.

Among those arrested on Monday were Dr Muzammil Ganaie and Dr Shaheen Sayeed, both connected to the Al Falah university in Faridabad from where 360 kg of ammonium nitrate was recovered.

According to investigators, Shaheen was leading the Jaish-e-Mohammed’s women recruitment wing in India. She headed the Jamaat-ul-Mominat, the group’s female wing.

Her father Syed Ahmad Ansari told reporters in Lucknow that he learnt about her arrest through the media.

"I last spoke to Shaheen about a month ago. I have never heard her mention Dr Muzammil or anyone connected to such activities," Ansari said.

Umar, also connected to Al Falah and believed to be driving the Hyundai i20 car in which the powerful blast took place, allegedly carried out the terror attack as he feared he might be caught like his fellow doctors, officials said.

The doctor from Lethpora in south Kashmir’s Pulwama district allegedly carried explosives, possibly ammonium nitrate, in the car, they said. A suicide attack was not ruled out.

Muzamil, his sister-in-law, said Umar had been an introvert right from his childhood and focused on his studies and work.

"He was working as a faculty at a college in Faridabad. He called on Friday and said he is busy with examinations and will return home after three days," she said.

He last visited Kashmir two months ago, she said, adding that he was a loner and did not have many friends.

Preliminary findings suggest ammonium nitrate, fuel oil and detonators may have been used in the blast that ripped through the slow moving car near a traffic signal.

As investigations into the blast and the terror module continues, officials said a man named Tariq from south Kashmir’s Pulwama district had given the i20 to Umar and is now under arrest.

Teams from Delhi Police, NIA and intelligence agencies have fanned out across Delhi and Kashmir. Four people have been detained in the raids in Kashmir. Of the four, two have been shifted for joint interrogation for their role in the Delhi blast as well as the interstate terror module.

Security agencies are focusing on how a sophisticated "white-collar" terror module managed to acquire and store such a huge quantity of explosives, including ammonium nitrate, officials said.

Delhi Police has registered a case under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act and the Explosives Act under sections which deal with punishment and conspiracy of a terror attack.

Raids are also being conducted at multiple locations in Delhi. The national capital has been placed on high alert with strict vigil being maintained at the airport, railway stations and bus terminals.

Police said CCTV footage of the car that exploded shows a "masked man" driving the car. Multiple teams have been deployed to scan CCTV from the vicinity of the Red Fort and adjoining routes, officials added.

They said Umar was the lone occupant of the car.

All vehicles entering Delhi, whether private or commercial, are being thoroughly checked and verified as part of heightened security measures, officials said.

"Multiple teams have been deployed to scan CCTV footage from the vicinity of the Red Fort and adjoining routes to know more about the masked man," a police official said.

"We also got to know that the vehicle was parked in a nearby parking lot for three hours, before the blast. Footage of different parking lots are also being monitored," the source added.

He added that an overnight search operation was conducted at hotels and guest houses in Daryaganj and Paharganj areas to trace possible suspects.

The Red Fort Metro Station was closed for commuters and traffic restrictions imposed in the area.

The deceased were identified as Ashok Kumar (34) from Amroha, Uttar Pradesh, and Amar Kataria (35) from Delhi. The other bodies are yet to be identified. They are aged between 28 and 58 years.

One mutilated body was recovered from the mangled remains of the car, officials said. Among the 20 injured, 12 are residents of Delhi, and eight belong to other states, including Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, and Himachal Pradesh. PTI BM SSJ MIJ SKL MIN MIN MIN