The NIA has taken charge of the investigation into the Red Fort blast, hours after the arrest of eight suspects — including three doctors — and the seizure of nearly 3,000 kg of explosives
BY PC Bureau
New Delhi, November 12: CCTV footage capturing the moment of Monday evening’s Red Fort blast, which killed nine people and injured over two dozen, surfaced on Wednesday as the National Investigation Agency (NIA) formally took over the probe into what officials are calling a “well-coordinated terror attack.”
The 15-second video, recorded by a nearby CCTV camera, shows a congested stretch near the Red Fort Metro Station, with vehicles moving slowly in traffic. Suddenly, a massive fireball erupts, engulfing the area as a Hyundai i20 — now confirmed as the source of the explosion — bursts into flames, sending people running for cover.
The blast occurred around 6:50 p.m. on Monday, gutting several vehicles in the vicinity, according to footage shared by the city’s CCTV control room.
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Terror Module Linked to Jaish, Ansar Outfits
The explosion came just hours after authorities announced the arrest of eight suspects, including three doctors, and the seizure of 2,900 kg of explosives, as part of an investigation into a “white-collar” terror module allegedly linked to Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) and Ansar Ghazwat-ul-Hind (AGH) networks spanning Kashmir, Haryana, and Uttar Pradesh.
Among those arrested were Dr Muzammil Ganaie and Dr Shaheen Sayeed, both associated with Al Falah University in Faridabad, from where 360 kg of ammonium nitrate was recovered.
The private university, located in Dhouj, about 45 km from Delhi, is recognised by the University Grants Commission (UGC).
Suspect Drove Explosive-Laden i20
Investigators have identified Dr Umar Nabi, also linked to Al Falah University, as the driver of the Hyundai i20 that exploded near the Red Fort. Nabi is believed to have died in the blast, which officials now suspect was a suicide attack.
According to intelligence sources, Nabi and Ganaie had recced the Red Fort area days earlier. The module had initially planned an attack during Diwali, but failed to execute it. They reportedly intended to strike again on Republic Day, before the plan was accelerated.
Preliminary forensic reports suggest that the i20 was packed with ANFO — an explosive mix of ammonium nitrate and fuel oil — and triggered by a detonator, possibly activated manually. Officials said traces of high-grade explosives were also recovered, with one sample found to be more potent than ammonium nitrate.
CCTV footage shows precise moment of Red Fort blast, chaos and panic thereafter pic.twitter.com/IbxHSWvjUi
— News Arena India (@NewsArenaIndia) November 12, 2025
Security Tightened Across Delhi
Following the explosion, the Delhi Police has placed the capital under high alert, launching massive checking drives at all entry and exit points.
Teams of police and paramilitary personnel have been deployed across key junctions, markets, and transport hubs. Vehicles entering and leaving Delhi are being thoroughly checked, while forensic teams continue to comb the blast site for additional evidence.
Officials said that multiple persons from Gurugram and Faridabad have been detained for questioning in connection with the ownership and movement of the i20 car.
The NIA, which has registered a case under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA), will now coordinate with Delhi Police’s Special Cell and central intelligence agencies to trace the full extent of the network behind the attack.
