Red Fort blast: Man who followed Umar to mosque detained

“While he is walking, he turns back anxiously… We analysed the CCTV footage and saw another person in a blue attire walking behind him. He, too, enters the mosque after Umar. So far, we can’t say whether they were related or what exactly was their relation… but nothing is being ruled out,” a source said.

The 49-year-old suspect is a resident of Old Delhi. His antecedents are being verified to ascertain why he was present in the area at that time, said sources.

Investigative agencies are probing Umar’s 15-minute visit to the mosque before heading to the T5 parking area. Footage of Umar walking on the street has emerged as a key piece of evidence for agencies as he is seen without a mask — this footage helped police identify him with the help of facial recognition. Umar, wearing black pants and a black shirt, can be seen in the footage walking barefoot inside the mosque and its premises at 2.34 pm on Monday. “He spent considerable time inside the mosque. We are probing the purpose of the visit and whether we met someone there,” a source said.

Police, meanwhile, said around 40 people who were present in the area at the time, too, have been questioned. “Backgrounds checks are being conducted,” said the source.

Meanwhile, CCTV footage analysis has shown that Umar was reportedly using a Samsung mobile phone. “A detailed list of numbers active in the area is being analysed. Hopefully, we will be able to identify the number, which will help us find out he was in contact with whom before the blast,” the source said.

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