Srinagar, Nov 11: Police in Jammu and Kashmir’s Pulwama district on Tuesday detained the father of the man suspected to be behind the car explosion near Delhi’s Red Fort for questioning, officials said.
Ghulam Nabi Bhat, a resident of Koil village in Pulwama, was taken into custody hours after his wife was escorted by police for a DNA test, officials confirmed. The move came as part of a widening probe into last week’s explosion that rocked the parking area near the Red Fort metro station in the national capital.
Investigators said Bhat’s son, Umar Nabi, a doctor by profession and resident of Pulwama, is alleged to have been driving the Hyundai i20 that detonated near the historic site. CCTV footage from the area reportedly captured an image of the driver moments before the explosion, prompting a hunt that has since expanded across states.
Officials said police have also detained several doctors from Faridabad, where the accused was reportedly working, for questioning. Three others, believed to be connected with the sale and purchase of the vehicle used in the blast, have also been picked up. However, no formal arrests have been made so far.
According to Delhi Police sources, preliminary investigations point to a possible link between the Delhi explosion and a terror module busted in Faridabad, where authorities earlier seized 360 kilograms of ammonium nitrate and other explosive materials.
“Initial findings indicate that ammonium nitrate, fuel oil and detonators were used in the Red Fort blast,” a senior police source said, adding that final forensic reports are awaited.
The explosion, which occurred near the Red Fort metro parking area, caused panic but no casualties. Investigators are now probing whether the incident was part of a larger conspiracy involving sleeper cells operating in northern India.
Security has been heightened in parts of Delhi and the Kashmir Valley as agencies coordinate to trace the network behind the blast. Officials said questioning of the detained individuals is underway to ascertain Umar Nabi’s movements and possible associates in both regions.
Authorities have yet to release an official statement confirming Umar Nabi’s whereabouts. The investigation remains ongoing.
