Delhi blast: Police arrest three Kashmiris as probe points to Pulwama link

Brothers -- Umar (L) and Amir Rashid (R) -- arrested in connection to Delhi Red Fort blast. (Image credit: News18)

A possible Pulwama link has emerged in the investigation into the powerful explosion near Delhi’s Red Fort that killed at least 13 people and injured several others on Monday evening.

As the probe deepens, Delhi Police have arrested three men from Kashmir, Tariq Ahmad, Amir Rashid, and Umar Rashid, all of whom allegedly have connections to Pulwama, News18 reported.

According to the report, the investigators are also questioning the family members of Dr Umar U Nabi, who is believed to be the suspected suicide bomber in the blast.

His mother, Shamima Bano, and his two brothers, Ashiq Nabi and Zahoor Nabi, have been taken into custody for questioning to trace possible links in the case. Dr Umar, too, hails from Pulwama in south Kashmir.

The people picked by the police in connection to the blast:

1. Tariq Ahmad
2. ⁠Amir Rashid
3. ⁠Umar Rashid
4. Shamima Bano, mother of Dr Umar
5. ⁠Ashiq Nabi, brother of Dr Umar
6. ⁠Zahoor Nabi, brother of Dr Umar

According to preliminary findings, the white Hyundai i20 that exploded near Gate No. 1 of Red Fort Metro Station had changed hands multiple times before the incident.

Investigators believe the car was first sold to Amir Rashid, then passed to Tariq Ahmad, and finally ended up with Umar Rashid. As per the report, Amir and Umar are brothers, who worked as a plumber and an electrician respectively. Amir had been using Tariq’s phone number, which has now become a key lead for the investigating team.

Officials are examining whether this chain of transactions was part of a deliberate attempt to obscure the car’s trail. They suspect that Dr Umar, originally from Pulwama and allegedly part of a module earlier busted by J&K and Haryana Police with 2,900 kg of explosives, may have been linked to the network behind the blast.

Dr Umar completed his MBBS from Government Medical College, Srinagar, and later served as a Senior Resident at GMC Anantnag before moving to Delhi. He is currently listed as an Assistant Professor at Alfalah University, Faridabad.

The Delhi Police have filed an FIR under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) and the Explosives Act, while multiple teams are coordinating with central agencies to investigate the case.