Delhi Red Fort car blast | Heinous terror incident, will bring the perpetrators to justice: Govt

An official statement on the resolution adopted at the meeting said, “The Cabinet prays for the speedy recovery of all those injured, and appreciates the prompt efforts of the medical personnel and emergency responders, who have been providing care and support to the victims.”

Briefing reporters after the meeting, Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw said the Cabinet observed a two-minute silence for the lives lost in the terrorist incident. He said the situation continues to be “closely monitored” at the highest levels of the government.

“The Cabinet also recorded its appreciation for the statements of solidarity and support from many governments around the world,” Vaishnaw said.

The Prime Minister also chaired a meeting of the Cabinet Committee on Security, which was attended by Home Minister Amit Shah, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and National Security Advisor Ajit Doval, among others.

Earlier in the day, soon after his return from Bhutan, the Prime Minister visited the LNJP Hospital to meet the injured victims. In a post on X later, Modi said: “Went to LNJP Hospital and met those injured during the blast in Delhi. Praying for everyone’s quick recovery. Those behind the conspiracy will be brought to justice.”

In the Valley, the J&K police continued to make detentions in connection with the case, including at least three doctors who knew members of the terror module involving doctors from J&K.

“Over the last two days, we have picked up many people who were connected to these doctors. They are being questioned and released. We have not formally arrested anyone,” a source said.

In Srinagar, as the State Investigation Agency took over the probe of the terror module from the Nowgam police, the relationship between Dr Umar Nabi, who was in the i20 that exploded near the Red Fort, and Dr Muzammil Ganai, one of the arrested members of the terror module, became the central focus of the probe. The two men, from the village of Koil in Pulwama, were both employed at Faridabad’s Al-Falah School of Medical Sciences & Research Centre.

Two other doctors arrested in connection with the module have been identified as Dr Adeel Majeed Rather from Qazigund, who was working at a private hospital in Saharanpur, and Dr Shaheen Shahid Ansari, who was also employed at the Faridabad hospital and was known to Muzammil.

Police sources said Umar and Muzammil were “key members” of the module and had been gradually stockpiling explosives and detonative materials for months now.

“What we know so far is that Umar was the one who would talk more about carrying out spectacular attacks,” said a highly placed source. Although their families insist the two men did not know each other, investigators have reason to believe they had been in touch since 2018.

“The 350 kg of ammonium nitrate we recovered from Muzammil’s (rented) residence in Faridabad was stored in suitcases. More explosive material was recovered from the residence of a cleric picked up from Faridabad,” said a source. The cleric, Imam Ishtiyaq, conducted sermons on the Al Falah campus, the source said. He has been taken to Srinagar by the J&K police.

Police sources said that while the doctors had been planning “something bigger”, they were yet to zero in on a definitive target. “Maybe a series of blasts,” said a source, indicating one of the options the module was allegedly exploring.

Police have also retrieved photographs of the two doctors from near Red Fort from 10 months ago, but say it is unclear if they were there to conduct a recce.