NEW DELHI—The investigation into the deadly car bomb explosion near the Red Fort on Monday evening has escalated, with forensic and anti-terror experts focusing on a strong possibility of a terror angle after the vehicle was discovered to have a multiplicity of ownership, a known terrorist modus operandi. The National Investigation Agency (NIA) is expected to formally take over the probe soon.
Initial forensic findings at the site of the rush-hour blast, which resulted in multiple casualties, were perplexing: no immediate craters or shrapnel were found. Experts believe this suggests the use of a highly potent, high-end explosive material, potentially a mix of ammonium nitrate and RDX. Investigators are also actively exploring a possible connection to a recent explosives seizure in Faridabad.
Fictitious IDs and Pulwama Link
The crucial discovery pointing toward terrorism is the convoluted ownership trail of the i20 car (HR 26 7674) involved in the explosion. While the initial registration led police to a man named Salman in Gurgaon, he claimed to have sold the vehicle months prior. Subsequent inquiries with the Regional Transport Office (RTO) revealed a chain of multiple sales, utilizing fictitious IDs. Alarmingly, one of the fake IDs was traced to a resident of Pulwama.
Sources indicate that the use of a vehicle with rapidly changing or multiple, fabricated ownership details is a preferred tactic for terrorist organizations executing Suicide Vehicle-Borne Improvised Explosive Device (SVB-IED) attacks, giving the perpetrators a greater veil of operational anonymity.
Unanswered Questions Remain
Despite the breakthroughs, investigators are still grappling with several key anomalies. The presence of at least three individuals inside the car at the time of the blast is unusual, as suicide attacks typically involve only one or two perpetrators. This raises the possibility that the vehicle was a hired or rented car. Furthermore, the car’s outstation numberplate is also a point of intense scrutiny.
Authorities are currently analyzing footage from over 230 CCTV cameras to reconstruct the vehicle’s route and gather more definitive evidence. Following a briefing by Home Minister Amit Shah, who also visited the scene, all investigative angles are being pursued as the security establishment prepares for the NIA to take charge of the case.
