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New Delhi, Nov 19 (IANS) In a major revelation, Delhi blasts accused Dr Omar Muhammad had collected explosives in a public parking lot near the Red Fort, sources said on Wednesday.
The Hyundai i20 involved in the blast was being driven by Dr. Umar Muhammad, a resident of Koil village in Pulwama, Jammu and Kashmir. The blast took place on November 10 near Gate No. 1 of the Red Fort metro station. A Haryana-registered Hyundai i20 suddenly exploded, causing panic in the high-security area.
The investigation focused on key questions related to the three crucial hours spent by Omar in the parking lot of the Red Fort. Was Omar talking on the phone during those three hours? Did he meet anyone in Delhi or Faridabad? Was the area around the Red Fort part of any reconnaissance plan? Was he waiting for peak hour when the crowd would be at its peak? – Such questions are still being investigated.
Records show that the car entered the Red Fort parking lot at 3.19 pm and exited at 6.22 pm. During this period, Umar did not come out of the car even once. The attacker was in touch with his handlers while entering the blast area, as investigation sources revealed that there was intense net activity in the area throughout the day.
However, what Omar and his colleagues did not realize was that it was Monday and the Red Fort was closed to the public. The parking lot was mostly deserted. As a result, the plan to detonate the parking area was abandoned, sources said.
Omar and his team then chose to carry out the blast on the bustling Netaji Subhash Marg, which is surrounded by the Red Fort on one side and Chandni Chowk on the other.
Investigators report that Omar spent those three hours collecting explosives in the parking area. Once it was over, he left the parking lot and walked onto the street.
Soon after, he activated the explosion resulting in the death of 13 people and injuries to more than 20.
However, the question is why did he take the risk of staying for three hours in one of the most heavily guarded areas of Delhi? Was he waiting for a sleeper cell contact or logistical backup?
Delhi Police and central security agencies are now connecting the links of events that led to the deadly blast.
Police suspect that the arrest of these persons may have created panic within the module, which may have led to Umar carrying out the premature blast.
Authorities are now investigating the Telegram groups used by other members of the terror module and the suspects for communication, and whether other active sleeper cells are still functioning.
With the ongoing investigation linking the blast to the terror network with its roots in Jammu and Kashmir and Haryana, security agencies are leaving no stone unturned to trace the source of the explosives and uncover the full scope of the conspiracy behind the blast.
–IANS
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