Red Fort blast: Explosives traced to Nuh village; probe links purchases to Faridabad module

NEW new delhi/FARIDABAD: Investigators tracking the origins of the explosives used in mon’s lifelessly blare nigh Delhi’s Red Fort have traced the procurement network to Basai Meo village in Haryana’s Nuh district and adjoining areas of Faridabad, Gurugram, and Saharanpur. The findings, officials said, reveal a complex chain of fertilizer and ammonium nitrate purchases allegedly orchestrated by Dr Umar Un Nabi and his associates from the Faridabad module over the past several months.People familiar with the investigation said Umar and another suspect had posed as farmhouse owners while approaching fertilizer shops in Nuh, where they began purchasing NPK fertilizers in small quantities over the last three-four months. Senior officers said the module collectively raised ₹20 lakh to buy more than 26 quintals of NPK fertilizer and over 1,000kg of ammonium nitrate – materials powerful enough to make multiple bombs.A senior Delhi Police officer said that the network was “actively discussing ways to procure ammonium nitrate and NPK in bulk quantities.” “They spent over ₹20 lakh, with each member contributing. The group also bought rifles and cartridges from Srinagar with help from their handlers, including one codenamed ‘Ukasha’,” the officer said.Investigators have identified at least three fertilizer dealers in Faridabad who allegedly supplied materials to the suspects. One of them, a resident of Pinangwan, told police that the men introduced themselves as landowners looking to buy fertilizer for their farms. Payments were made digitally, which police now consider a crucial trail in the case.Also Read | Red Fort blast: 5 more detained, including 2 doctors linked to Al-Falah varsityBased on interrogation and location data, officials said Nuh was the primary source of the explosive materials. Among the accused, Dr Muzammil Shakeel Ganaie – one of the Al-Falah doctors arrested last week – allegedly visited the fertilizer shops multiple times and later brought Umar to the same sellers. “They didn’t buy everything at once. They collected it gradually over three or four months,” an investigator said.The multi-agency probe – involving the Delhi Police Special Cell, Haryana Police, and the NIA – has revealed that Dr Umar and Dr Muzammil, both formerly associated with Al-Falah University, relied on local contacts in rural Faridabad to locate sellers and transport the chemicals.Also Read | ‘Won’t dare to even think': Amit Shah's warning to Delhi blast perpetratorsMeanwhile, forensic teams from the Forensic Science Laboratory (FSL) are visiting multiple sites to search for traces of explosives in vehicles and houses linked to the accused doctors. Police said the cars belonging to several suspects and their colleagues are being checked to confirm whether they were used to ferry explosives across state borders. “We are also examining possible disposal sites for chemical residue after the Red Fort explosion,” an officer added.Nuh’s mining belt under scannerThe probe widened further this week after NIA and Delhi Police teams traced the ammonium nitrate supply chain to Nuh’s mining belt – a region notorious for illegal quarrying and the routine use of blasting chemicals. Investigators said the ammonium nitrate used in the blast was purchased from fertilizer dealers and mining suppliers in Basai Meo, Tauru, and Ferozepur Jhirka, where the chemical is commonly used to blast through rocky hills.Police have detained Dinesh Kumar alias Dabbu Singla, a fertilizer dealer from Pinangwan, who allegedly sold around 300 kilograms of ammonium nitrate to the module.Investigators have identified at least three fertilizer dealers in Sohna and one in Nuh who allegedly supplied materials to the suspects.A joint team of Faridabad and Nuh police conducted extensive searches in and around mining sites on Wednesday and Thursday, questioning more than 50 people, including mine operators, transporters, and chemical dealers.During questioning, locals reportedly confirmed that Dr Umar had visited the area multiple times in recent weeks. He allegedly claimed he wanted to start a mining business in Kashmir and was inquiring about the process of procuring and handling blasting chemicals. “He introduced himself as a doctor exploring investment opportunities,” said one local trader questioned by the police.Officials now believe these visits were part of a cover to survey suppliers and learn how to acquire large quantities of explosive material without triggering suspicion. Searches in Ferozepur Jhirka also led to the recovery of several ammonium nitrate stockpiles from sheds used for illegal quarrying. Forensic teams have collected samples to match with residue found in the Hyundai i20 and red EcoSport recovered earlier this week.