Police have sealed off an area within a 200-metre radius in Faridabad’s Khandawali village after recovering the car believed to be linked to the suspects behind the deadly Red Fort blast earlier this week. A bomb disposal squad was deployed to inspect the vehicle, which investigators say could hold crucial evidence in one of the most extensive terror probes in recent years.
The car was seized on Wednesday evening, and the man who allegedly parked it in the village was detained by Faridabad Police before being handed over to Delhi Police for questioning. Officials said the move was part of an intensified joint operation between Delhi, Haryana, and central intelligence agencies after forensic and digital evidence traced several vehicles to a network of suspects spread across states.
Investigators said the red Ford EcoSport was registered in the name of Dr Umar Nabi — the man confirmed through DNA testing to have been driving the white Hyundai i20 that exploded near the Red Fort Metro station, killing 13 people and injuring several others. The blast, which took place in a crowded zone on Monday evening, has been described by senior officers as a “high-intensity, premeditated attack” executed with precision.
Sources said Umar had used the EcoSport for reconnaissance in and around Delhi before the explosion. The discovery of the car in Faridabad, officials added, could provide critical clues about the group’s movements and planning in the days leading up to the attack.
Earlier this week, Delhi Police had issued an all-station alert to trace three vehicles — a white Hyundai i20, a red Ford EcoSport, and a Maruti Suzuki Brezza — believed to have been procured to carry improvised explosive devices (IEDs). With the i20 destroyed in the blast and the EcoSport now recovered, security agencies are focusing on locating the third car.The Faridabad seizure comes just days after authorities claimed to have dismantled a “white-collar terror module” with alleged links to the Jaish-e-Mohammed and Ansar Ghazwat-ul-Hind networks. The module reportedly operated across Jammu and Kashmir, Haryana, and Uttar Pradesh. Eight people, including three doctors affiliated with Al-Falah University in Faridabad, were arrested in the operation. Investigators recovered 2,900 kilograms of explosive substances and large volumes of digital evidence during the raids.On Wednesday, police teams visited Al-Falah University and the home of Dr Muzammil Ganaie, one of the prime suspects detained in the case. Several doctors and students were questioned as part of the widening investigation into how the network functioned and whether university resources were misused to aid terror activities.
Officials said the recovered EcoSport is being examined for traces of explosives, biological residues and communication devices. Forensic experts from the National Security Guard and Delhi Police Special Cell are assisting in the analysis. “Every piece of evidence is being preserved, from chemical traces to tyre marks,” one officer said, adding that the vehicle’s discovery could help reconstruct the timeline of the suspects’ movements.
As investigators connect the dots between the Red Fort blast and the wider terror network, security has been tightened across Delhi and the National Capital Region. Additional checkpoints have been established on highways leading to Haryana and Uttar Pradesh. The Ministry of Home Affairs has also sought a detailed report from Delhi Police and the National Investigation Agency (NIA) as the probe transitions into a multi-agency effort.