New Delhi, Nov 11: The first photo of Dr. Umar Mohammad, believed to be the mastermind behind the Red Fort car blast, has been released, police sources said on Tuesday. It remains unclear whether he died in the explosion or is on the run, while his family in Pulwama has been detained for questioning.
The high-intensity blast, which tore through a slow-moving Hyundai i20 near the Red Fort Metro Station on Monday evening, killed 12 people and injured over 20. Officials said a major tragedy was averted, as the Red Fort was closed that day, preventing higher casualties.
Police revealed the car had three occupants when the explosion occurred. “We have not found any pellets or puncture wounds on the injured, which is unusual in a blast. All possibilities are being investigated,” said a senior police officer.
Preliminary forensic analysis indicates that the explosive device contained a mixture of ammonium nitrate, fuel oil, and other chemicals. Investigators are also probing whether the attack was a suicide operation.
The blast occurred just hours after joint police teams from Jammu and Kashmir, Haryana, and Uttar Pradesh seized 360 kg of suspected ammonium nitrate and a cache of arms and ammunition from a Kashmiri doctor’s rented flat in Faridabad, raising suspicions of a larger terror network behind the attack. (Agencies)
