Tragedy Strikes at the Heart of Delhi
On the evening of November 10, 2025, a high-intensity explosion ripped through one of Delhi’s busiest and most secure areas, near the historic Red Fort. The blast, which occurred at approximately 6:52 PM at a traffic signal close to Gate No. 1 of the Red Fort Metro Station, claimed at least 12 lives and left over 20 people injured in what investigators are treating as a suspected suicide terror attack.
The explosion took place during peak evening hours when the area was crowded with commuters, shoppers, and tourists. The powerful blast completely destroyed a white Hyundai i20 car and set multiple nearby vehicles ablaze, leaving a trail of devastation that sent shockwaves across the national capital and beyond.
The Attack: Timeline and Sequence of Events
According to CCTV footage analyzed by investigators, the white Hyundai i20 bearing registration number HR 26CE7674 entered a parking lot adjacent to Sunehri Masjid near the Red Fort at 3:19 PM on November 10. The vehicle remained parked for over three hours before exiting at approximately 6:48 PM.
Camera footage shows the car, with three occupants inside, taking a U-turn near Old Delhi Railway Station and proceeding towards Lower Subhash Marg. The vehicle was moving slowly through evening traffic when it stopped at a red light at the Subhash Marg traffic signal near the Red Fort Metro Station. Moments later, at exactly 6:52 PM, a massive explosion tore through the car.
The blast was so powerful that it completely obliterated the vehicle, killing all three occupants instantly. Multiple nearby vehicles caught fire, including six cars, four motorcycles, two e-rickshaws, and one autorickshaw. Windows of surrounding buildings shattered, and the sound of the explosion was heard several hundred meters away. Body parts and debris were scattered across the busy street, creating scenes of utter chaos and panic.
The Delhi Fire Services received multiple emergency calls between 6:50 PM and 7:05 PM. Seven fire tenders were immediately dispatched to the scene, and the fire was brought under control by 7:29 PM. Meanwhile, teams from the Delhi Crime Branch and Special Branch reached the spot within 10 minutes of the blast.
The Victims: Lives Lost and Shattered
The death toll initially stood at eight but rose to 12 as three more victims succumbed to their injuries on November 11. Of the deceased, only two had been identified by late Monday evening 34-year-old Ashok Kumar from Amroha in Uttar Pradesh, and 35-year-old Amar Kataria, a resident of Sriniwaspuri in Delhi who ran a garment store in Chandni Chowk.
The injured, numbering between 20 and 24, were rushed to Lok Nayak Jai Prakash (LNJP) Hospital. Among them were daily wage workers, cab drivers, shoppers, and commuters who happened to be at the wrong place at the wrong time. The youngest injured victim was 21-year-old Shivam Jha from Usmanpur, Delhi. The victims included 12 Delhi residents and eight people from other states, including Uttar Pradesh, Himachal Pradesh, and Uttarakhand.
The Prime Suspect: Dr. Umar Un Nabi
Investigators quickly traced the ownership of the destroyed Hyundai i20 to Dr. Umar Un Nabi (also known as Mohammad Umar), a 36-year-old doctor from Pulwama, Jammu and Kashmir. Dr. Umar had completed his MBBS from Government Medical College Srinagar in 2017 and had worked at GMC Anantnag before joining Al-Falah School of Medical Sciences and Research Centre in Faridabad, Haryana.
Police sources confirmed that Dr. Umar was behind the wheel when the car exploded and is presumed to have died in the blast. His identity is being verified through DNA testing, with his mother called to Pulwama to provide samples for matching with remains recovered from the blast site.
The investigation revealed that Dr. Umar was part of a larger “white-collar terror module” linked to the Pakistan-based terror groups Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) and Ansar Ghazwat-ul-Hind (AGuH), the Jammu and Kashmir-specific wing of Al-Qaeda. Delhi Police’s initial probe suggests that Dr. Umar likely planned and executed this fidayeen (suicide) attack after learning that his associates in the terror network had been arrested.
The Faridabad Connection: A Massive Terror Plot Foiled
The Red Fort blast cannot be understood in isolation. Hours before the explosion, on the morning of November 10, Jammu and Kashmir Police, along with Haryana Police, recovered approximately 2,900 kilograms of explosive-making materials and bomb-making equipment from two rented accommodations in Dhauj, Faridabad just 45 kilometers from Delhi.
The first seizure occurred on November 9, when police recovered 350-360 kg of suspected ammonium nitrate (a commonly used fertilizer that can be converted into a deadly explosive) from a room rented by Dr. Muzammil Ahmad Ganai, a doctor from Pulwama who taught at Al-Falah University in Faridabad. Along with the explosives, police found assault rifles (including an AK-56 and a Krinkov rifle), pistols with ammunition, 12 suitcases packed with explosives, 20 timers with batteries, 24 remote controls, 5 kg of heavy metal, walkie-talkie sets, electric wiring, and other bomb-making paraphernalia.
On November 10, searches expanded to another location in Dehar Colony, Dhauj, where an additional 2,563 kg of explosives and flammable materials were seized. The sheer volume of materials pointed to plans for large-scale terrorist attacks across the national capital region.
Investigators believe that Dr. Umar, upon learning of these arrests and seizures, panicked and decided to execute a suicide attack with whatever resources were available to him, resulting in the Red Fort explosion.
The Terror Network: White-Collar Professionals Turned Radicals
The investigation into the Red Fort blast has exposed what authorities are calling a “white-collar terror ecosystem”– a network of highly educated professionals, primarily doctors, who had been radicalized and recruited by terrorist organizations.
The terror module came to light after Jaish-e-Mohammed posters surfaced in Srinagar’s Bunpora Nowgam area on October 19, 2025, threatening police and security forces. This triggered a 15-day multi-state operation that led to eight arrests, with three more suspects still being traced.
Key Arrested Suspects:
Dr. Muzammil Ahmad Ganai (alias Musaib) – A doctor from Koil, Pulwama, employed at Al-Falah University in Faridabad for three-and-a-half years. He was arrested approximately 10 days before the blast. The massive cache of explosives was found in his two rented rooms.
Dr. Adil Ahmed Rather (Adeel Majeed Rather) – From Wanpora, Kulgam, J&K, he was working at a hospital in Saharanpur, Uttar Pradesh. His arrest and interrogation led police to the Faridabad hideout.
Dr. Shaheen Shahid – A senior doctor at Al-Falah University, based in Lucknow. She is considered a key conspirator, and explosives were found in her Maruti Swift car. Police believe she helped operate the module that stored nearly 3 tonnes of ammonium nitrate. As per latest reports, Dr Shaheen tasked with setting up Jaish’s women wing in India.
Other Arrested Individuals include Arif Nisar Dar (alias Sahil) from Nowgam, Srinagar; Yasir-ul-Ashraf from Nowgam, Srinagar; Maqsood Ahmad Dar (alias Shahid) from Nowgam, Srinagar; Maulvi Irfan Ahmad from Shopian; and Zameer Ahmad Ahanger (alias Mutlasha) from Ganderbal.
Investigators revealed that this terror module used encrypted communication channels for indoctrination, coordination, fund movement, and logistics. The accused were allegedly in regular contact with handlers operating from Pakistan and other countries. They raised funds through professional and academic networks, disguising them as social or charitable causes.
Police are now investigating whether laboratory facilities at Al-Falah University in Faridabad were used to synthesize advanced explosives such as RDX. Several people allegedly connected to the accused, including a religious scholar from a mosque near the university, have been detained for questioning.
The Investigation: Multi-Agency Probe Underway
The Delhi Police immediately invoked India’s stringent anti-terrorism law, registering a case under Sections 16 and 18 of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA), along with various sections of the Explosives Act and the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita at Kotwali Police Station.
Multiple agencies are involved in the investigation, including the National Investigation Agency (NIA), National Security Guard (NSG), Delhi Police Special Cell and Crime Branch, Forensic Science Laboratory (FSL), Intelligence Bureau (IB), Jammu and Kashmir Police, Haryana Police, and Uttar Pradesh Police.
Union Home Minister Amit Shah personally visited the blast site on Monday night and met with the injured at LNJP Hospital. He chaired a high-level security meeting at 11 AM on November 11, attended by Union Home Secretary Govind Mohan, the Director of Intelligence Bureau, the Director General of NIA, Delhi Police Commissioner Satish Golcha, and the DGP of Jammu and Kashmir (via video conference).
Investigators have reviewed more than 100 CCTV clips, including footage from nearby toll plazas, to map the complete movement of the suspect vehicle. Nearly 200 police personnel were involved in examining footage across various routes, from Badarpur border to the Red Fort area. Four suspects linked to the case were detained after overnight searches of Delhi hotels.
Forensic Analysis: The Nature of the Blast
Initial forensic findings have puzzled investigators. Despite the explosion killing 12 people and destroying multiple vehicles, forensic experts found no crater at the blast site, no metallic shards, nails, or wiring all of which are telltale signs of a conventional explosive device or IED.
Teams from the NSG, NIA, and Delhi Police’s forensic wing scoured the site but instead found burnt car parts, melted glass, and fuel residue more consistent with combustion than with a traditional bomb. The injured did not have typical splinter wounds, further suggesting the blast may have involved a chemical mixture rather than a conventional explosive device.
FSL Officer Mohammad Wahid stated that samples had been taken to the laboratory for examination. Preliminary reports suggest the explosion was likely caused by a mix of ammonium nitrate, fuel oil, and explosive detonators. However, the exact nature and composition of the explosive material is still being analyzed.
Government Response and Security Measures
Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who was on a two-day visit to Bhutan at the time of the blast, issued a stern warning to the perpetrators. Speaking in Thimphu on November 11, Modi said, “Today, I come here with a very heavy heart. The horrific incident that took place in Delhi yesterday evening has deeply saddened everyone. I understand the grief of the affected families. The entire nation stands with them today. I was in touch with all the agencies investigating this incident throughout last night. Our agencies will get to the bottom of this conspiracy. The conspirators behind this will not be spared. All those responsible will be brought to justice”.
Defence Minister Rajnath Singh also vowed that those responsible would face justice, stating that India’s leading investigative agencies were conducting a swift and thorough inquiry.
Following the blast, Delhi and several major cities across India were placed on high alert. Lal Qila Metro Station was temporarily closed due to security reasons, while all other stations remain operational. The Archaeological Survey of India closed the historic Red Fort to visitors until November 13 to facilitate police investigation. A complete market shutdown was announced in Chandni Chowk on November 11 due to fear among traders.
Delhi Traffic Police imposed restrictions on Netaji Subhash Marg between Chatta Rail Cut and Subhash Marg Cut until further notice. Security checks were intensified at airports, metro stations, railway stations, and bus terminals across Delhi, Mumbai, Noida, Hyderabad, Kolkata, Bengaluru, and other major cities. High alerts were issued in Uttar Pradesh, Haryana, Uttarakhand, Bihar, Maharashtra, Chandigarh, Kerala, and Jammu and Kashmir.
International Reaction and Condolences
The deadly blast drew condolences and expressions of solidarity from across the international community.
The United States expressed condolences and said it was closely monitoring the situation. “Our hearts are with those affected by the terrible explosion in New Delhi,” the Bureau of South and Central Asian Affairs stated. The US Embassy in New Delhi issued a security alert urging American citizens to avoid the Red Fort and Chandni Chowk areas and stay away from large gatherings.
British High Commissioner to India Lindy Cameron expressed her sympathies, saying, “My thoughts are with all those affected by the explosion near the Red Fort in New Delhi today”. The UK Foreign Office issued a travel advisory urging citizens to avoid travel within 10 km of the India-Pakistan border.
Maldives President Mohamed Muizzu extended condolences, saying, “Deeply saddened by the tragic loss of lives in the blast in Red Fort, Delhi. Our heartfelt condolences to the bereaved families and good wishes for swift recovery of the injured. The Maldives stands in solidarity with the people and Government of India”.
Japanese Ambassador Ono Keiichi said, “Deeply saddened by the tragic loss of lives in the Delhi blast. I offer my deepest condolences to the bereaved families and pray for the speedy recovery of the injured”. French Ambassador Thierry Mathou, Canadian High Commission, Iranian Embassy, former Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, Argentine Ambassador Mariano Caucino, and Egyptian Embassy all extended condolences and support.
The White Collar Jihad: A New Dimension of Terror
The Red Fort blast marks the first significant security incident in Delhi since April 22, 2025, when 26 civilians were killed by terrorists at the tourist site in Pahalgam, Jammu and Kashmir.
The emergence of a “white-collar terror ecosystem” involving highly educated professionals doctors, in particular represents a troubling new dimension of terrorism in India. Unlike traditional terror operatives, these individuals used their professional credentials and academic positions as cover while planning large scale attacks.
The fact that nearly 3 tonnes of explosive materials were accumulated and stored in a university town just 45 kilometers from the national capital raises serious questions about intelligence gaps and security preparedness. The Red Fort blast has also highlighted the continued threat posed by Pakistan based terror groups like Jaish-e-Mohammed and their ability to radicalize, recruit, and coordinate attacks involving Indian nationals, particularly from Jammu and Kashmir.
Conclusion
The Red Fort car blast of November 10, 2025, has shaken India’s national capital and exposed a sophisticated terror network operating in plain sight. The involvement of highly educated doctors in planning and executing a suicide attack represents a disturbing evolution in the nature of terrorism facing India.
As investigations continue and more details emerge, the incident serves as a stark reminder of the persistent terror threat and the need for constant vigilance.
With multiple agencies working around the clock and high-level security meetings underway, authorities are piecing together the full extent of this terror conspiracy.
For now, Delhi remains on high alert, its citizens grieving the loss of innocent lives while hoping for swift justice and answers to the many questions that continue to haunt the investigation.
Note- All information updated as of November 11, 2025, 2:40 PM IST
