The Delhi Police have arrested at least four people in connection with a high-intensity blast that rocked the national capital on Monday evening. The explosion has so far claimed 13 lives and left several others injured — triggering a nationwide alert and widespread alarm.

Investigators believe that the suspect had intended to carry out an explosion but changed their plans after learning that a Faridabad module had been busted. The attack then shifted into a fidayeen-style operation — apparently to maximise casualties and avoid capture by police. Investigators are also probing if the actual target of the attack was at another location since the car was moving slowly. It is pertinent to note here that the police had also recovered 360 kg of explosive material and ammunition from Faridabad in Haryana and apprehended two people (Dr Muzammil and Aadil Rather) earlier on Monday.

According to multiple reports, the police detained four suspects following overnight search operations at hotels in Paharganj, Daryaganj and nearby areas in Delhi. They were nabbed after officials reviewed hotel records and identified four seemingly suspicious individuals.

At least 4 arrested – What do we know?

Five doctors hailing from multiple Indian states have so far been been linked to the attack. Dr Muzammil Ahmad Ganai from Pulwama in Kashmir was nabbed from Faridabad on Monday — with officials finding a massive cache of suspected ammonium nitrate, weapons and bomb-making equipment at his rented home. He had worked as a doctor with Al-Falah University and taught MBBS students. His colleague Dr Adeel Ahmad Rather is believed to be the second suspect while a third Al-Falah doctor (Umar Nabi) is believed to be the deceased “bomber” seen in CCTV footage.

Rater was arrested from Qazigund on Monday evening with police recovering an AK-47 rifle from his locker at GMC Srinagar. He is also considered to be part of the Faridabad terror module that was involved in amassing explosives, arms and bomb-making equipment. Meanwhile Nabi remained missing after the arrest of his colleagues — with police sources telling The Indian Express that they suspect him to be the car “bomber” seen in the CCTV footage.

Lucknow-based Shaheen Sayeed was the third doctor to be arrested after she discarded an assault rifle from her car into a dustbin following the arrests. The purported girlfriend of Dr Muzammil is also accused of being an active part of the terror module and maintaining links with the network in Kashmir.

11 hour route

The Delhi Police have also traced the 11 hour route taken by the Hyundai i20 car involved in the blast. The vehicle departed from Faridabad and passed through several major locations while heading towards the Red Fort. It was first spotted on CCTV footage outside Asian Hospital in Faridabad around 7:30 am on Monday. The car eventually crossed the Badarpur toll plaza and entered Delhi around 8:13 am. 

The car was seen entering the parking area near the Red Fort complex at 3:19 pm and remained there for about three hours. It eventually exited at 6:22 pm and moved towards Lal Quila. A powerful explosion occurred inside the moving car just 24 minutes after its exit. 

Who owns the car?

A joint team of Delhi and Gurugram police detained the first owner of the Haryana-registered car from Gurugram on Monday morning. Officials said Mohd. Salman had sold his car to a person named Devendra in Delhi’s Okhla one and a half years ago. The vehicle was later sold to another person in Ambala before being resold to a man named Tariq in Pulwama. The officer had informed that the police are tracing the people. The family of Dinesh (who was Salman’s landlord from 2016 to 2020) told the media that he had been taken for questioning by the police.