- CCTV footage shows white Hyundai i20 exploding near Delhi's Red Fort in traffic
- Blast occurred around 6:52 pm, killing nine and injuring nearly two dozen people
- Explosion caused damage to nearby vehicles and buildings in densely populated area
Two days after a powerful explosion near Delhi's Red Fort killed at least nine people and injured nearly two dozen others, newly surfaced CCTV footage has captured the exact moment a white Hyundai i20 car detonated in the middle of rush-hour traffic.
The footage, obtained from a traffic camera positioned near Red Fort Metro Station's Gate Number 1, shows a slow-moving white Hyundai i20 surrounded by e-rickshaws, autos, and other vehicles before erupting into flames. The blast, which occurred at around 6:52 pm on Monday evening, sent shockwaves across the densely populated Old Delhi area, damaging nearby vehicles and buildings.
The National Investigation Agency (NIA) has formally taken over the probe into what the Centre has described as a "heinous terror act".
CCTV Footage Reveals Crowded Scene
The CCTV video shows the i20 inching through heavy traffic before a sudden explosion engulfs it in fire. Emergency services rushed to the scene, but by then the car was reduced to charred metal. Nine people were confirmed dead, and at least a dozen others suffered injuries.
Investigators have identified the vehicle as a white Hyundai i20 bearing registration number HR 26CE7674, believed to have been driven by Dr Umar Nabi, a 32-year-old medical professional and suspected member of a terror module with links to Pakistan-based Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) terrorist organisation.
The Vehicle's Owner
According to sources, Dr Umar Nabi purchased the i20 on October 29 from a Faridabad-based car dealer named Sonu. CCTV footage reviewed by investigators shows Nabi visiting a Pollution Under Control (PUC) booth near Royal Car Zone -- the same complex where Sonu's dealership operates -- shortly after buying the car.
After obtaining the PUC certificate, Nabi allegedly drove the car to Al-Falah Medical College, where it was parked next to a Swift Dzire owned by Dr Muzammil Shakeel, who has since been arrested in connection with a separate seizure of 2,900 kg of explosives. Dr Shakeel's vehicle, in turn, was registered in the name of Dr Shaheen Saeed, a doctor from Lucknow who was also arrested for terror links.
Timeline Before Explosion
The Hyundai i20 was later spotted by surveillance cameras across several parts of Delhi, including Connaught Place and Mayur Vihar, before entering the Sunehri Masjid parking lot in Chandni Chowk at 3:19 pm on the day of the attack. The footage shows a man -- believed to be Nabi -- with his hand resting on the window frame. The car remained stationary in the parking area for more than three hours, until around 6:30 pm, without the driver stepping out.
Moments later, the car exited towards Netaji Subhash Marg -- the stretch bordering the Red Fort -- and detonated amid slow-moving evening traffic.
The Suspects
The blast has since unravelled what security agencies describe as a "white-collar terror module" comprising several medical professionals trained in Jammu and Kashmir. The module's alleged ringleader, Dr Umar Nabi, is believed to have died in the explosion.
Two of his close associates, Dr Muzammil Shakeel and Dr Adeel Ahmad Rather, were arrested earlier this week in a joint operation by the Jammu and Kashmir and Haryana police. The arrests led to the recovery of 2,900 kg of explosives, assault rifles, and ammunition.
Another accused, Dr Shaheen Saeed, was detained from Lucknow on Tuesday. Investigators allege she was covertly working to establish a women's wing of Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) within India.
