In a major breakthrough in the Red Fort car blast probe, officials in Delhi confirmed that the DNA sample of the mother of Dr Umar Un Nabi, the man suspected to have been driving the Hyundai i20 that exploded near the historic monument, has been collected from Pulwama, Jammu and Kashmir.
According to sources cited by The Indian Express, the sample will be matched with unidentified bodies lying at Lok Nayak Hospital to determine whether Nabi was among those killed in the blast. At his native village in Pulwama, family members and local officials confirmed that his mother was taken away for DNA sampling, while only his sister-in-law was present when reporters visited the residence.
Police link suspect to Faridabad terror module busted earlier
Investigators believe Nabi may have been part of the same “transnational and interstate” network recently dismantled in Faridabad. The Jammu and Kashmir Police suspect that the blast was executed by the same module whose members were arrested last week.
One of those detained earlier, Dr Muzammil Ahmad Ganai, was arrested in Faridabad and linked to a larger terror conspiracy. Police recovered 358 kg of suspected ammonium nitrate from his rented home in the Dhauj area. Both Nabi and Ganai were employed at Al Falah University’s School of Medical Sciences and Research Centre, officials said.
Five detained in Pulwama; ownership of the car under probe
J&K Police have reportedly detained five people from different villages in Pulwama for questioning since Monday night. Among them is Amir Rashid of Samboora village, who is believed to be the car’s current owner. His brother and three others from the area have also been picked up for interrogation, sources confirmed.
Investigators are relying heavily on DNA profiling to identify those involved, given the extent of damage caused by the explosion. Matching Nabi’s mother’s sample with the remains recovered from the blast site could determine whether the suspect was killed or managed to flee.
Who Was Dr Umar Un Nabi?
According to sources, Dr Umar Un Nabi, son of Gh Nabi Bhat, worked as an Assistant Professor at Al-Falah Medical College in Faridabad and was originally from Koil village in Pulwama. His mother, Shamima Banoo, was among those detained for questioning.
Born on February 24, 1989, Umar completed his MD in Medicine from Government Medical College, Srinagar, and later served as a Senior Resident at GMC Anantnag before moving to Delhi, according to News 18.
Investigators say Umar was part of a network of medical professionals radicalised through encrypted Telegram channels, a group now being referred to as the “Faridabad module.” His father, a retired government school teacher, is reportedly mentally unwell. Both his brothers and mother remain in police custody for further questioning, according to News 18.
Officials believe that confirming Dr Umar’s identity through DNA analysis will be a crucial step in determining whether the Red Fort blast was a planned suicide mission or an accidental detonation.