New Developments in Red Fort Car Bombing Investigation
Investigation Uncovers Details of Terror Module
New Delhi, Jan 18: Recent investigations into the terror module linked to the car bombing near the Red Fort have revealed a significant detail: a second potential suicide bomber, who was recruited for the attack, ultimately withdrew from the plan. He cited the need to assist his family during the apple harvest season as the reason for his decision.
During questioning, authorities discovered that the mastermind behind the attack, Dr. Umar-un Nabi, had successfully radicalized Yasir Ahmed Dar, a resident of Shopian, as a potential suicide bomber.
However, during a critical meeting in August of the previous year, Dar decided to back out at the last moment, stating that his family required his assistance in the orchards and that his home needed repairs, according to officials.
Dar, who had dropped out of school, had been in contact with Nabi since 2023. He acknowledged that Nabi's position as a medical professional lent credibility to his extremist views.
Officials noted that Nabi emphasized the importance of physical fitness and readiness, primarily communicating through Telegram.
The investigation further indicated that Nabi was fixated on employing human bombers, believing they were crucial for the success of terror operations. Dar was the second individual Nabi attempted to recruit into this module.
Nabi, a 28-year-old doctor from Pulwama, was the driver of the explosive-laden vehicle that detonated outside the historic site on November 10, resulting in the deaths of over a dozen individuals.
Investigations conducted by the Srinagar Police and the National Investigation Agency (NIA) revealed that Nabi was also trying to establish parallel terror cells to maintain operational continuity even if one module was compromised.
As the investigation expanded, another suspect, Jasir alias Danish, was apprehended in Qazigund, south Kashmir.
Jasir, who holds a bachelor's degree in Political Science, informed interrogators that he met members of the so-called 'Doctor module' in October 2024 at a mosque in Kulgam.
He was subsequently taken to a rented place at Al-Falah University in Faridabad.
While other members intended for Jasir to act as an over-ground worker (OGW) for the banned Jaish-e-Mohammed, Nabi intensely brainwashed him over several months to become a suicide bomber.
This plan also fell apart in April of the previous year when Jasir withdrew, citing his poor financial situation and his belief that suicide is forbidden in Islam.
Investigators recovered a voice note from one of the accused, in which he was heard taking 'Bayat', an oath of allegiance for jihad.
The revelation of the potential suicide bomber angle, uncovered by the Srinagar Police under Senior Superintendent of Police Dr. G V Sundeep Chakravarthy, added a perilous new dimension to the case.
Officials suspect that Nabi was planning a significant Vehicle-Borne Improvised Explosive Device (VBIED) attack, possibly timed for the anniversary of the Babri Masjid demolition on December 6. The intended target was reportedly a crowded area in the national capital or a site of religious significance, after which Nabi planned to vanish.
According to interrogations, Nabi's radicalization intensified following a trip to Turkiye in 2021 with co-accused Dr. Muzammil Ahmad Ganaie, during which they allegedly connected with JeM operatives.
Upon their return, both doctors, who were teaching at Al-Falah University in Faridabad, began acquiring large quantities of chemicals from the open market, including approximately 360 kg of ammonium nitrate, potassium nitrate, and sulfur. Much of this material was stored near the university campus.
The plot for December unraveled when Srinagar Police arrested Ganaie and seized the explosives, causing panic within the module. This ultimately led to the premature explosion outside the Red Fort.
The complex inter-state terror network was revealed following what initially seemed to be a minor incident involving the appearance of JeM posters on walls in Bunpora, Nowgam, on the outskirts of Srinagar on October 19, 2025.
A case was registered, CCTV footage was reviewed, and three locals—Arif Nisar Dar alias Sahil, Yasir-ul-Ashraf, and Maqsood Ahmad Dar alias Shahid—who had prior stone-pelting cases, were arrested.
Their interrogation led to the arrest of Maulvi Irfan Ahmad, a former paramedic-turned-imam from Shopian, who allegedly supplied the posters and used his access to radicalize the doctors.
Officials noted that the fact that one recruit abandoned a suicide mission to help with apple orchards highlighted how close the module was to executing multiple attacks and how narrowly a potentially deadlier plot was avoided.