NIA Arrests Kashmir Resident For Allegedly Aiding 'Suicide Bomber' In Red Fort Car Blast

In a significant development in the Red Fort car bomb blast case, the National Investigation Agency has arrested a Kashmir resident accused of conspiring with "suicide bomber" Dr Umar Un Nabi to execute the attack that killed 13 people.

According to the agency, Amir Rashid Ali — in whose name the car used in the explosion was registered — was taken into custody in Delhi. The NIA had launched an extensive search operation after formally taking over the probe from Delhi Police.

Investigators found that Amir, a resident of Samboora in Jammu and Kashmir’s Pampore, had worked with the "suicide bomber", Umar, to carry out the terror plot. He had travelled to Delhi to allegedly help facilitate the purchase of the vehicle, which was later used as a "vehicle-borne Improvised Explosive Device (IED)" to trigger the deadly blast.

This marks the first time the NIA has referred to Dr Umar Un Nabi — who was driving the car when it exploded near the Red Fort on 10 November — as a "suicide bomber". It is also the first instance of the agency describing the car as a "vehicle-borne IED".

Forensic analysis has confirmed that the deceased driver of the "vehicle-borne IED" was Umar Un Nabi, an assistant professor in the general medicine department at Al Falah University in Faridabad and a resident of Pulwama district in Jammu and Kashmir.

The agency has also seized another vehicle belonging to Umar, which is currently being examined for evidence. So far, the NIA has questioned 73 witnesses, including survivors of the blast.

Working closely with the police forces of Delhi, Jammu and Kashmir, Haryana and Uttar Pradesh, along with other partner agencies, the NIA continues to investigate the case across multiple states. It is currently following several leads to uncover the broader conspiracy behind the "bombing" and identify all individuals involved, the agency said.

(with PTI inputs)