Delhi blast: Man who parked red EcoSport finally in police net
Police have blockaded a 200-metre area in Faridabad’s Khandawali village after seizing the car believed to be linked to the suspects behind the deadly Red Fort blast earlier this week. A bomb squad was assigned to examine the vehicle; Investigators say the vehicle may contain crucial evidence in one of the most comprehensive terrorism investigations in recent years.
The car was seized on Wednesday evening and the man who allegedly parked it in the village was detained by Faridabad Police before being handed over to Delhi Police for questioning. The move was part of an intensified joint operation between Delhi, Haryana and central intelligence agencies after forensic and digital evidence traced several vehicles to a network of suspects spread across states, officials said.
Investigators say the red Ford EcoSport was driven by Dr. He said it was registered in the name of Umar Nabi; It was confirmed by DNA testing that this man was driving a white Hyundai i20 that exploded near the Red Fort Metro station, killing 13 people and injuring many others. The explosion, which occurred in a crowded area on Monday evening, was described by senior officials as a “high-intensity, pre-planned attack” carried out with precision.
Sources said Umar was using the EcoSport for reconnaissance in and around Delhi before the explosion. The discovery of the car in Faridabad could provide critical clues about the group’s movements and planning in the days leading up to the attack, officials added.
Earlier this week, Delhi Police had raised an alert at all stations to track three vehicles – a white Hyundai i20, a red Ford EcoSport and a Maruti Suzuki Brezza – believed to have been purchased to carry improvised explosive devices (IEDs). With the i20 destroyed in the explosion and the EcoSport recovered, security agencies are focusing on locating the third car. The Faridabad seizure comes just days after authorities claimed to have dismantled a “white-collar terror module” allegedly linked to the Jaish-e-Mohammad and Ansar Ghazvat-ul-Hind networks. The module is reported to be working in Jammu and Kashmir, Haryana and Uttar Pradesh. Eight people, including three doctors affiliated with Al Falah University in Faridabad, were arrested during the operation. Investigators seized 2,900 kilograms of explosives and a large amount of digital evidence during the raids. On Wednesday, police teams visited Al-Falah University and one of the main suspects detained in the case, Dr. He visited Muzammil Ganaie’s house. Scores of doctors and students have been questioned as part of the widening investigation into how the network operated and whether university resources were misused to aid terrorist activities.
The recovered EcoSport was examined for traces of explosives, biological debris and communications devices, officials said. National Security Guard and forensic experts from Delhi Police Special Cell are assisting in the analysis. “Every piece of evidence, from chemical traces to tire tracks, has been preserved,” a police officer said, adding that the discovery of the vehicle could help reconstruct the timeline of the suspects’ movements.
Security has been tightened in Delhi and the National Capital Region as investigators connect the dots between the Red Fort blast and the broader terror network. Additional checkpoints have been set up on highways leading to Haryana and Uttar Pradesh. The Home Ministry has also sought a detailed report from the Delhi Police and the National Investigation Agency (NIA) as the investigation has turned into a multi-agency effort.
