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Was the Red Fort blast planned or triggered in panic? What we know
The blast that killed at least 10 people and injured several others on Monday evening has put Delhi as well as the entire country on edge.
Days after a high-intensity blast rocked Delhi, many questions continue to linger even as security agencies continue their probe.
The blast that killed at least 10 people and injured several others on Monday evening has put Delhi as well as the entire country on edge.
While the security agencies continue their probe, one of the main questions is why the blast happened outside the Red Fort, one of the most tightly policed areas in Delhi? National Investigation Agency (NIA) officials are examining whether the explosion, which occurred at 6.52 PM amid evening rush-hour traffic, was premature and triggered in panic.
Officers of Delhi Police privy to the probe, who asked not to be identified, told Hindustan Times that they have reasons to believe that Dr Umar un-Nabi – the chief suspect, who was allegedly driving the car – had in fact planned the blast around the Chandni Chowk area, which is mostly packed with shoppers.
A DNA test has confirmed that the DNA found in the car involved in the blast belonged to the prime suspect, Dr Umar Nabi.
Tracing the white i20 before the Red Fort blast
CCTV footage shows the white i20 was in and around the area for nearly four hours – parked for more than three hours near Sunehri Masjid and later moving along Netaji Subhash Marg and Shantivan Road between Daryaganj and the Chhata Rail Cut traffic signal. The car even halted briefly near a famous temple on Netaji Subhash Marg about 10 minutes before the explosion.
“We are not ruling out the possibility that the suspect, who was driving the car, may have attempted to trigger the blast around the temple first, as the area around it and another religious structure facing the main road, is a gateway to multiple wholesale markets in Chandi Chowk,” the officer cited above said.
“There is also a possibility that Umar halted the vehicle near the temple but had to move ahead as it’s a no-parking zone, and his halt might have drawn the attention of security and traffic personnel. He likely panicked and moved ahead,” the officer said.
