CCTV Footage Captures Deadly Delhi Red Fort Explosion: Medical Professionals Linked to Terror Module

New Delhi:

Two days following a devastating explosion near Delhi's Red Fort that claimed nine lives and injured nearly two dozen others, newly emerged CCTV footage has captured the precise moment when a white Hyundai i20 car exploded amidst rush-hour traffic.

The footage, acquired from a traffic camera stationed near Red Fort Metro Station's Gate Number 1, displays a white Hyundai i20 moving slowly among e-rickshaws, autos, and other vehicles before suddenly bursting into flames. The explosion, occurring at approximately 6:52 pm on Monday evening, sent powerful shockwaves throughout the densely populated Old Delhi area, causing damage to nearby vehicles and buildings.

The National Investigation Agency (NIA) has officially assumed control of the investigation into what the Centre has characterized as a "heinous terror act".

#WATCH | Delhi 10/11 Blast: Latest CCTV footage captures the moment of blast#DelhiBlast pic.twitter.com/MjC9fzjqR1

CCTV Footage Reveals Crowded Scene

The CCTV video shows the i20 slowly navigating through heavy traffic before a sudden explosion engulfs it in flames. Emergency responders quickly arrived at the scene, but by then the vehicle had been reduced to charred metal. Nine individuals were confirmed dead, with at least a dozen others sustaining injuries.

Investigators have identified the vehicle as a white Hyundai i20 with registration number HR 26CE7674, reportedly driven by Dr Umar Nabi, a 32-year-old medical professional suspected of belonging to a terror module connected to the Pakistan-based Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) terrorist organization.

The Vehicle's Owner

According to sources, Dr Umar Nabi acquired the i20 on October 29 from a car dealer named Sonu based in Faridabad. CCTV footage examined by investigators reveals Nabi visiting a Pollution Under Control (PUC) booth near Royal Car Zone -- the same complex housing Sonu's dealership -- shortly after purchasing the vehicle.

After obtaining the PUC certificate, Nabi allegedly drove the car to Al-Falah Medical College, where it was parked adjacent to a Swift Dzire owned by Dr Muzammil Shakeel, who has subsequently been arrested in connection with a separate seizure of 2,900 kg of explosives. Dr Shakeel's vehicle was registered under the name of Dr Shaheen Saeed, a doctor from Lucknow who was also arrested for terror links.

Timeline Before Explosion

The Hyundai i20 was subsequently captured by surveillance cameras across various parts of Delhi, including Connaught Place and Mayur Vihar, before entering the Sunehri Masjid parking lot in Chandni Chowk at 3:19 pm on the day of the attack. The footage shows a man -- believed to be Nabi -- with his hand resting on the window frame. The car remained stationary in the parking area for more than three hours, until approximately 6:30 pm, without the driver exiting the vehicle.

Shortly thereafter, the car departed towards Netaji Subhash Marg -- the stretch bordering the Red Fort -- and detonated amidst slow-moving evening traffic.

The Suspects

The explosion has since uncovered what security agencies describe as a "white-collar terror module" comprising several medical professionals trained in Jammu and Kashmir. The module's alleged leader, Dr Umar Nabi, is believed to have perished in the explosion.

Two of his close associates, Dr Muzammil Shakeel and Dr Adeel Ahmad Rather, were apprehended earlier this week in a joint operation by the Jammu and Kashmir and Haryana police. The arrests resulted in the discovery of 2,900 kg of explosives, assault rifles, and ammunition.

Another accused individual, Dr Shaheen Saeed, was detained from Lucknow on Tuesday. Investigators allege she was secretly working to establish a women's wing of Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) within India.