Delhi Red Fort blast first CCTV clues: Hunt for 'Umar' intensifies as visuals of suspect emerge

The images show the vehicle, bearing registration HR 26CE 7674, entering a parking lot with the driver’s hand resting on the window.

A nationwide manhunt is underway for a man identified as Umar, the prime suspect in the deadly car explosion near Delhi’s Red Fort that killed at least 12 people and injured 20. The investigation, propelled by CCTV evidence and a series of detentions in Pulwama, is probing potential links to a foiled terror conspiracy as authorities piece together the moments before the blast.

According to a report by TOI, investigators have pinpointed Umar, who is already absconding in a related explosives case from Faridabad, as the individual seen driving the white Hyundai i20 in CCTV footage. The images show the vehicle, bearing registration HR 26CE 7674, entering a parking lot with the driver’s hand resting on the window. Another key image reveals the suspect wearing a distinct blue-and-black T-shirt.

In a significant development, two of Umar’s brothers, Ashiq Ahmed and Zahoor Ahmed, along with his mother, Shameema Bano, have been detained in Pulwama, signalling a rapid escalation in the investigative efforts to locate the primary accused.

The suspect’s car had been parked for over two hours before it was moved to the site of the devastation on Subhash Marg. The explosion occurred at approximately 6.52 pm on Monday when the vehicle was stationary at a traffic signal during peak rush hour. The blast, originating from within the Hyundai, triggered a fireball that engulfed nearby vehicles, leading to widespread carnage.

“The casualties were high because the road has bumper-to-bumper traffic at that hour,” a police officer was cited by TOI. The force of the blast was so extreme that it shattered windows near the Sis Ganj Gurdwara, nearly half a kilometre away. Initial assessments indicate five to six cars, four motorcycles and three e-rickshaws were set ablaze in the chain reaction.

The response from security agencies was immediate, with teams from the Delhi Police Special Cell, the National Investigation Agency (NIA) and forensics experts converging on the site within minutes. Union Home Minister Amit Shah confirmed he was briefed on the situation, stating, “We are exploring all possibilities and will conduct a thorough investigation.”

A critical line of enquiry is the potential connection to a foiled terror plot in Faridabad earlier on Monday, where a cache of explosives was seized. This has led to a massive search operation in the Faridabad area, with over 1,000 police personnel scouring locations like Dhauj and Fatehpur Taga village.

A case has been registered under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, the Explosives Act and relevant sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita. Investigators are now examining over 100 CCTV clips to trace the car’s final journey, while also looking into its ownership history, which passed from a Gurgaon resident to an individual in Pulwama.

If confirmed as a terror-related attack, this would be the capital's first major blast since 2011, marking a grave escalation and placing the manhunt for Umar at the very top of the national security agenda.