DNA Confirms Pulwama Doctor Drove Car in Delhi Blast Near Red Fort

SRINAGAR: DNA test results on Thursday confirmed that Dr Umar Mohammad drove the Hyundai i20 car that exploded near Delhi’s historic Red Fort on Monday, claiming nine lives and injuring 20 others.

Details revealed that investigators had collected DNA samples of Dr Umar from the exploded car at the blast site on Monday. Dr Umar was working as a senior doctor at Al Falah University in Faridabad. “His DNA sample matched completely with that of his mother and brother. The DNA matched with several body parts of Umar recovered from the exploded car,” the details revealed.

On Wednesday, investigators had collected DNA samples of Umar’s mother and brother after they were detained in Pulwama by the police following the deadly explosion in Delhi.

The blast occurred hours after Jammu and Kashmir Police and Faridabad Police recovered 2,900 kg of explosives from two residential houses in Faridabad on Monday. The revelation about explosives being stored in Faridabad came after police arrested Dr Muzzamil Shakeel and Dr Adeel, both associates of Dr Umar.

According to details, investigators have scanned around 50 CCTV cameras across Delhi, which captured Dr Umar driving the car at several locations in the national capital, including Connaught Place, Mayur Vihar, the Delhi-Mumbai Expressway, central Delhi and south Delhi districts.

A CCTV footage showed his car on the Delhi-Mumbai Expressway, where, according to reports, he made at least two stops.

“He made one stop at a roadside dhaba where he ate, and another at a mosque in Firozpur Jhirka, Mewat district, where he was seen offering prayers. Later, he parked his car near another eatery, reclining in the driver’s seat and spending the night there,” sources said.

Routine Poster Probe Uncovered Major Terror Module

As the probe in the Delhi blast case widens, investigations have revealed that the Faridabad module came to light after Jammu and Kashmir Police launched a routine probe into a poster-pasting incident in Srinagar’s Nowgam area.

A top official said that Jammu and Kashmir Police were investigating a routine incident after posters linked to Jaish-e-Mohammad were put up in Bunpora area of Nowgam on the intervening night of October 16 and 17 this year.

He said that the investigation led police to Dr Adeel, who is believed to have been captured on CCTV footage while putting up posters in the Nowgam area.

“As the investigation intensified, Jammu and Kashmir Police traced Dr Adeel in Uttar Pradesh’s Saharanpur. He was arrested by the police on October 27. Following his arrest, the lid was blown off the major terror plot that led to the arrest of Adeel’s other associates—Dr Muzzamil and Dr Shaheen—and subsequently the recovery of 2,900 kg of explosives from Faridabad,” he said.

Delhi Blast Link Traces to Dubai

The probe into the Delhi car blast has now extended to Dubai, as Dr Adeel’s brother, Muzzafar Rather, who is currently in Dubai, has become a key focus of investigators.

Sources said that Muzzafar went to Pakistan before travelling to Dubai two months ago. “Inputs suggest that Muzzafar has direct links with Jaish-e-Mohammad, and investigators suspect his Dubai visit may have been to arrange terror funding.”

They said investigators are tracking who he met in Pakistan before leaving for Dubai. “Dr Adeel is also being questioned about any foreign travel and his links with his brother regarding the terror module,” they added.

Home Minister Vows Strictest Punishment to Perpetrators

Home Minister Amit Shah on Thursday chaired a high-level meeting at his residence in the morning that lasted for over an hour over the Delhi blast case.

As per details, the meeting was attended by the Home Secretary, the Director of the Enforcement Directorate, the Intelligence Bureau chief, and other senior officials.

Meanwhile, Amit Shah said the perpetrators of the Delhi blast will face the strictest punishment and that it will be a message to the world that such attacks in India will not go unpunished.

He made the remarks while addressing the inauguration of Moti Bhai Chaudhary Sagar Sainik School in Gujarat.

He said the government is determined to ensure that perpetrators of the Delhi terror incident are brought to justice. “PM Modi is committed to delivering strict punishment to those involved in the attack,” he said.

Doctors’ Module Had Planned Blasts on Babri Masjid Demolition Anniversary

Investigators probing the Delhi blast case have uncovered some more details: the module involving doctors had planned blasts at six locations in the National Capital Region on December 6, the Babri Masjid demolition anniversary.

Those arrested in connection with the blast have revealed that the date was chosen because they wanted to “avenge the Babri Masjid demolition”.

According to investigators, the members of the module have said during interrogation that they had prepared a phase-wise plan to carry out serial blasts in Delhi-NCR. (KNO)