Haryana sees sweeping checks after blast tied to Red Fort terror module

Teams are verifying buyers posing as farmhouse owners and analysing NPK and ammonium nitrate transactions that helped the module amass over 1,000kg of material.

Multiple security and investigative agencies are undertaking search and verification processes in Nuh, Tauru and Faridabad of Haryana, following an accidental blast—of explosive material purportedly used in the Red Fort blast on November 10—in Srinagar on Friday night, officials aware of the matter said on Saturday. Religious places, rented accommodations and village clusters are also being checked, based on intelligence inputs, officials said.

Faridabad Police said all suspected premises are being covered as intel agencies trace fertiliser dealers, bulk buyers and possible escape routes of module members. (Parveen Kumar/HT)

Officials said that teams of the Haryana Police, Jammu and Kashmir Police, and the National Investigation Agency (NIA) raided multiple locations in Dhauj, Ballabgarh and Khandawali, to locate members of the terror module who might have fled Srinagar.

“These are coordinated verification drives based on actionable intelligence from central agencies. Residential pockets near mosques and recently rented premises are being closely monitored,” a senior police officer, requesting anonymity, said.

Yashpal Singh, the spokesperson for Faridabad Police, said, “Our combing operation is underway across the district. The searching operation is part of it, and our teams are checking all suspected locations, houses, villages, and buildings. Every lead received from intelligence agencies is being verified thoroughly.”

Officials said that data related to the sale and transport of ammonium nitrate and NPK fertilisers is also being compiled from shops across Faridabad, Nuh, and Sohna to identify potential supply chains that may have supported the module. “A list of fertiliser dealers and wholesalers is being prepared. Their sales records of the past six months will be cross-checked for bulk or suspicious transactions,” an official said.

People familiar with the probe said that Dr Mohammad Umar and another accused had posed as farmhouse owners while purchasing fertilisers in Nuh, especially buying NPK in small quantities over the past three to four months. “The group collectively raised ₹20 lakh to procure over 26 quintals of NPK fertiliser and more than 1,000kg of ammonium nitrate — materials powerful enough to manufacture multiple explosive devices,” the official cited above said.