Red Fort blast probe reveals 32 cars were being readied for Babri 'revenge' attacks

Red Fort blast

Investigators probing the Red Fort blast in Delhi have uncovered a chilling terror plot involving 32 cars that were being prepared to carry explosives and bombs for coordinated attacks across multiple cities.

According to a report by NDTV, the blasts were planned as part of a “revenge operation”, with six key targets in Delhi alone, timed for December 6, the anniversary of the Babri Masjid demolition.

Among the vehicles identified are a Maruti Brezza, Maruti Swift Dzire, Ford EcoSport, and the Hyundai i20 that exploded near Red Fort on Monday evening. These cars were deliberately chosen because they were old and resold multiple times, making it harder for investigators to trace ownership.

All four have now been tracked down. The Brezza was recovered from the Al-Falah School of Medical Sciences and Research Centre in Haryana’s Faridabad, which has become the epicentre of the terror network.

The EcoSport, registered as DL10 CK 0458, was found abandoned in Faridabad with an unidentified man asleep inside, who has since been detained. The Swift Dzire, seized earlier this week, contained an assault rifle and ammunition.

Blast triggered prematurely

Officials say the Hyundai i20, packed with high-grade explosives and ammonium nitrate fuel oil, was supposed to be detonated inside Red Fort’s parking area. However, the blast occurred prematurely, killing 13 people.

Investigators believe it was accidentally triggered by Umar Mohammed, alias Umar un-Nabi, one of the key operatives.
CCTV footage shows the car entering Delhi from the Badarpur border early Monday morning and circling around before the explosion. Authorities believe Umar panicked after several of his associates were caught.

Faridabad: The nerve centre

Faridabad has now emerged as the main base for the terror module. Security agencies have recovered nearly 3,000 kg of explosives and multiple assault rifles from the Al-Falah Hospital premises and a medical college in Anantnag, Jammu and Kashmir. The arrested suspects, Adil Ahmad Rather, Mujammil Shakeel, and Dr Shahina Saeed, were allegedly coordinating the movement of cars and explosives between the two states.

Alternate plan for Diwali attack

Officials also revealed that the group had discussed carrying out an attack during Diwali (October 20) but later shifted the date. However, because the fort is closed to visitors on Monday, Umar improvised. He set the bomb off at a busy traffic signal right outside the fort's entrance, and near a metro station.

Umar may have panicked after the arrests of his accomplices, and the discovery of nearly 3,000 kg of explosive materials and assault rifles that had been stockpiled by the terrorists at the Al-Falah Hospital in Faridabad and the Government Medical College in Jammu and Kashmir's Anantnag, investigators say.