NIA's 10-Member Special Team Investigates Deadly Delhi Red Fort Blast: Complete Details Revealed

The National Investigation Agency (NIA) Director General and the Intelligence Bureau (IB) chief are scheduled to meet today regarding the ongoing investigation, according to sources.

New Delhi:

The National Investigation Agency has established a specialized 10-member team to investigate the explosion near Delhi's Red Fort that claimed nine lives and left 20 others wounded, sources revealed. This team is headed by NIA Director General Vijay Sakhare and consists of an Inspector General of Police, two Deputy Generals of Police, three Superintendents of Police, with the remaining positions filled by Deputy Superintendent-level officers.

The agency plans to acquire all case files related to the Jaish module from Jammu and Kashmir Police, Delhi Police, and Haryana Police to thoroughly examine its operational capabilities and financial backing.

Sources indicate that the NIA Director General and Intelligence Bureau chief will convene for a meeting today.

The investigation was officially transferred to the NIA on Tuesday following Union Home Minister Amit Shah's review of the case progress.

Investigative agencies are currently analyzing over 1,000 CCTV recordings. They are also scrutinizing social media activities and gathering mobile phone data from various locations throughout Delhi.

The explosion occurred on Monday at 6:52 pm near the Red Fort Metro Station, leaving behind mangled bodies and damaged vehicles in the busy area. This incident happened on the same day that authorities discovered 2,900 kg of explosives, including ammonium nitrate, in Faridabad. According to sources, the suspected suicide bomber, identified as Umar Mohammad, may have panicked and detonated the explosives after investigators arrested two key members of the module - Dr. Muzammil Shakeel and Dr. Adil Rather - and seized the explosive materials.

An initial assessment of the blast site suggested the suspects may have acted in panic and made errors while handling the explosives, according to top intelligence sources who spoke to NDTV. The suspect appears to have assembled the improvised explosive device (IED) incorrectly, which resulted in the device having a limited impact.

Additional evidence pointing toward an accidental explosion includes the absence of a blast crater and projectiles at the site. Investigators believe the suspects, while panicking, failed to properly arm the IED for maximum damage.

Sources have not dismissed the possibility that the explosion occurred when the suspects attempted to relocate or dispose of the explosives.

The investigating agencies are also examining potential foreign connections to the module, as the handler was reportedly operating from abroad, sources stated.