Security personnel stand beside a charred vehicle at the blast site after an explosion near the Red Fort in the old quarters of Delhi on November 10, 2025. — AFP/ANN Photo

NEW DELHI — The Delhi Police on Thursday confirmed that the man who carried out the explosion near the Red Fort was Dr Umar un Nabi, after forensic experts matched DNA recovered from the blast site with samples taken from his mother.

According to officials, one of Umar’s legs was found jammed between the steering wheel and the accelerator of the Hyundai i20 he was driving when it exploded on Monday evening.

Identification marks major breakthrough in probe

The DNA confirmation formally establishes Umar, a doctor from Pulwama in Jammu and Kashmir, as the individual behind the wheel during the high-intensity blast that killed 12 people and injured several others near the Red Fort Metro Station.

Police had suspected his involvement after the arrests of several individuals connected to what investigators describe as an interstate 'white-collar' terror module with alleged links to proscribed organisations. Umar had reportedly fled to Delhi shortly before the explosion, and initial forensic evidence pointed to his presence in the car.

Officials said DNA profiling was crucial because the blast left the body unrecognisable. The confirmation now allows investigators to piece together the final hours leading up to the explosion.

Probe widens into interstate terror network

Delhi Police and central agencies are continuing to examine the supply chain of explosive materials, possible foreign contacts, and digital communication between Umar and other suspects. Investigators are also looking into whether Umar was in touch with any handler moments before the blast.

The case was handed over to the National Investigation Agency (NIA) earlier this week. Multiple searches are underway across Delhi, Faridabad, Srinagar, and Pulwama as part of efforts to dismantle the wider network believed to be involved. — THE STATESMAN