Delhi Red Fort Terror Plot: 32 Vehicles Prepared for Coordinated Revenge Attacks Across India

The i20 and EcoSport that were used in the Red Fort terror attack conspiracy.

New Delhi:

Thirty-two vehicles including a Maruti Suzuka Brezza, Maruti Swift Dzire, and a Ford EcoSport were being prepared to transport explosive materials or deliver bombs, according to sources close to the Delhi Red Fort blast investigation who spoke with NDTV on Thursday. These vehicles, including the Hyundai i20 that exploded Monday evening, were reportedly intended for a series of 'revenge' attacks targeting multiple locations, with six planned in Delhi for December 6 - the anniversary of the 16th century Babri Masjid demolition in Ayodhya.

The identified vehicles were specifically selected because they were older models that had changed ownership multiple times, making them difficult to trace. All four vehicles have now been located; the Brezza (registration HR87 U 9988) was discovered at the Al-Falah School of Medical Sciences and Research Centre campus in Haryana's Faridabad, an institution now identified as the central hub of the terrorists' activities.

The EcoSport (registration DL10 CK 0458) was found abandoned in Faridabad late Wednesday, an area that appears to be this terror cell's operational base. An unidentified young man found sleeping in the back seat has been taken into custody.

The Swift Dzire was seized on Monday, containing an assault rifle and ammunition.

The red Ford EcoSport was used for transporting explosive materials.

Thirteen people lost their lives in the Red Fort blast involving the i20, which contained a mixture of high-grade explosive materials and ammonium nitrate fuel oil. Initial investigations suggest the explosion occurred prematurely, triggered by one of the terrorists, Umar Mohammed. Officials have confirmed through DNA testing that he perished in the blast.

The i20 entered Delhi Monday morning at the Badarpur border crossing and circulated throughout the city for several hours. Investigators believe the plan was to detonate it inside the Red Fort's parking area.

Officials informed NDTV that discussions had also taken place regarding a potential attack on Diwali (October 20).

However, since the fort is closed to visitors on Mondays, Mohammed adapted his plan. He detonated the bomb at a busy traffic intersection directly outside the fort's entrance, near a metro station.

Mohammed, also known as Umar un-Nabi, may have become alarmed following the arrests of his accomplices Adil Ahmad Rather, Mujammil Shakeel, and Shaheen Saeed, who operated the Brezza. Authorities also discovered nearly 3,000 kg of explosive materials and assault rifles stockpiled by the terrorists at the Al-Falah Hospital in Faridabad and the Government Medical College in Jammu and Kashmir's Anantnag.

The terror operation was orchestrated by the Pakistan-based Jaish-e-Mohammed terrorist organization.

The investigation, led by anti-terror agency NIA, encompasses a broader inquiry into what appears to be a new terrorist strategy - posing as white-collar professionals, specifically doctors, to gain community trust and deflect suspicion. The cell was only exposed after CCTV footage captured Rather posting materials praising the Jaish terror group in J&K's Nowgam.

Rather was subsequently apprehended in UP's Saharanpur, leading to the unraveling of the terror plot.

Several terrorists in this cell were employed at or connected to the Al-Falah institution, which has now distanced itself from their actions, stating: "We want to make it loud and clear that as a responsible institution, we stand in solidarity with the nation and reaffirm our unwavering commitment to the country."