New Delhi: Security forces have demolished the house of Dr Umar Mohammed in Pulwama, Kashmir, who triggered the car blast near Delhi’s iconic Red Fort.
A controlled explosion was used to destroy the house during an overnight operation. The action comes amid a high alert and an intensified crackdown on terror modules linked to the Red Fort blast.
The investigation into the November 10 explosion, which left 12 people dead and injured several, revealed that Umar, a doctor at Al-Falah University in Faridabad, was driving the Hyundai i20 car that exploded near a traffic signal on Netaji Subhash Marg. His presence in the vehicle was confirmed after DNA samples recovered from the blast site matched those collected from his mother.
New CCTV footage has also emerged showing Dr Umar Mohammed driving an i20 car in Connaught Place, the heart of Delhi, nearly five hours before heading toward the Red Fort area, where the blast ultimately occurred.
According to police sources, Umar was seen driving the explosive-laden vehicle around Connaught Place’s Outer Circle at approximately 2.05 p.m. He then moved toward Mayur Vihar and eventually proceeded to the Red Fort vicinity.
Investigative agencies on Thursday found another vehicle, a Maruti Brezza, which was missing initially. Officials are also examining why the terror module was using multiple cars. The i20 exploded near the Red Fort, while an EcoSport belonging to Dr Umar Mohammad was recovered in Faridabad.
Sources have indicated that the module had been planning a series of car bombings, but their plans were exposed before further attacks could be executed.
The powerful explosion occurred at around 6.52 p.m. on November 10, sending shockwaves across the national capital and triggering immediate security responses. The blast struck close to one of India’s most iconic heritage sites, raising serious concerns about a breach in the high-security zone surrounding the Red Fort.
Following the incident, the National Investigation Agency (NIA) formally took over the probe from the Delhi Police Special Cell. NIA officials cordoned off the area and conducted detailed forensic examinations of the debris, including explosive residues, vehicle fragments, and digital evidence, to trace the entire network behind the attack.
On Wednesday, the Union Cabinet, chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, directed that the incident be investigated with the “utmost urgency” to swiftly identify and bring all “perpetrators” and “sponsors” to justice. The Cabinet observed two minutes of silence in honour of the innocent lives lost and described the November 10 blast as “a heinous terror incident perpetrated by anti-national forces”.
Additionally, on Thursday, the Association of Indian Universities (AIU) suspended the membership of Al-Falah University in Faridabad, Haryana, with immediate effect.
The demolition of Umar’s house in Kashmir is aimed at sending a message to those backing terrorist activities. Earlier, similar action was carried out against those involved in the Pahalgam terror attack case.
(IANS)
