Caught on cam: Red Fort blast accused Umar Nabi spent time at Old Delhi mosque ahead of attack

Delhi blast accused Umar Nabi

Umar Nabi, who was driving the explosives-laded Hyundai i20 that exploded outside Red Fort metro station on Monday, had visited a mosque in Old Delhi and offered namaz hours before the incident.

Latest CCTV footage confirms Nabi entered and exited Faiz-e-Ilahi Mosque near Ramlila Maidan, opposite Turkman Gate, where he stayed for more than 10 minutes before heading towards the Red Fort around 2:30 pm.

In the 20-second video, Umar is seen walking on the Asaf Ali Road near the mosque. Hours later, the Al-Falah University professor carried out the blast at a traffic signal near the Red Fort metro station, leaving 13 people dead and triggering a nationwide alarm.

The Faiz-e-Ilahi Mosque has been associated with Tablighi Jamaat activities that have emerged following the group's split from the Nizamuddin Markaz. The Tablighi Jamaat is a global Islamic missionary movement rooted in the Deobandi tradition, dedicated to encouraging Muslims to deepen their religious observance.

Who is Dr. Umar Nabi?

Born in J&K's Pulwama on 24 February 1989, Umar was working as a doctor at the Al Falah Medical College in Faridabad. He was allegedly a close aide of Dr Adeel Ahmad Rather and Dr Mujammil Shakil, the two doctors who were arrested on Monday in the investigations into a new 'white collar' terror module busted by the police teams of J&K and Haryana.

According to officials, Umar was a loner and had an excellent academic record. A trip to Turkiye in 2021 led to a dramatic transformation and radicalisation, they claimed.

Earlier today, police sources said that DNA test of samples collected from the blast site confirmed Umar Nabi was driving the car that exploded near the Red Fort.

Monday's deafening blast

At least 13 people were killed after a white Hyundai i20 exploded near Gate No. 1 of Delhi's Red Fort metro station on Monday evening. Delhi Police on Tuesday registered an FIR under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act and the Explosives Act in connection with the deadly blast.

The explosion rocked Delhi just hours after police recovered 2,900 kg of explosives in Faridabad. Security agencies unearthed what they described as 'white-collar terror network' spanning Jammu & Kashmir, Haryana and Uttar Pradesh and arrested eight people, including three doctors.

Umar reportedly had originally planned to detonate the bomb near the Red Fort parking area as it witnesses heavy footfall during the winters. However, he panicked after cops busted a terror module with the recovery of 2,900 kg of explosives in Faridabad and arrested his associated. The explosives included 360 kg of inflammable material.