New Delhi: Investigators have traced the white Hyundai i20 used in Monday’s Red Fort Metro station blast to a Pulwama-based doctor, establishing a direct link between the attack that killed eight people in central Delhi and the raids carried out in Faridabad earlier the same day.
The car’s current owner has been identified as Umar Mohammed, the doctor from Pulwama, who allegedly belongs to the same terror network as two doctors arrested before Monday’s raid in Faridabad, a senior officer said.
“He is from the same terror module. He panicked after the arrests. He, along with his associates, placed a detonator and carried out this terror act,” the officer said.
Police are now searching for Umar and checking if he is among the deceased.
The blast occurred around 6.50pm near the red light close to gate number 1 of the Red Fort Metro station. Sources said ammonium nitrate fuel oil (ANFO) was used in the explosion.
“This is connected to the cache of arms and explosive material, believed to be ammonium nitrate, recovered from Faridabad earlier,” the source said.
Jammu and Kashmir Police, along with Haryana Police, had recovered 2,500kg of IED-making material during a raid at two houses rented by doctor Muzammil Shakeel in Fatehpur Taga village in Faridabad. The haul included around 360kg of highly inflammable material, suspected to be ammonium nitrate, along with chemicals, reagents, electronic circuits, batteries, wires, remote controls, timers and metal sheets.
Shakeel was arrested before the raid along with another doctor Adeel Ahmed Rathar.
Investigators also traced the car’s ownership trail. Sources said its original owner was Salman, who had sold the vehicle to Devender, before it was bought by Umar.