NIA cracks deeper layer of Red Fort suicide bombing: Jaish-e-Mohammed module was building mini-rockets, weaponised drones

NEW DELHI: Intensifying its probe into the November 10 Red Fort suicide bombing, the National Investigation Agency (NIA) has revealed that the Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) module was actively developing small rockets for a series of planned blasts, in addition to plotting Hamas-style attacks using drones. The module’s sinister plans were foiled following multiple arrests and raids by the agency.


On Monday, NIA arrested Jasir Bilal Wani, also known as Danish, a resident of Qazigund in Anantnag district, Jammu & Kashmir. Wani was identified as a key associate of suicide bomber Umar Un Nabi. He was taken into custody from Srinagar while the NIA team was conducting investigations in the Valley.


According to officials, Wani had provided technical support for the terror attacks, including modifying drones and attempting to make rockets intended to trigger blasts at crowded locations.

The drones were reportedly to be equipped with cameras, batteries, and small but powerful bombs, replicating attack patterns carried out by terror groups such as Hamas and ISIS in Syria, Iraq, Israel, and Afghanistan.

The NIA is also probing a ‘shoe bomber’ angle in connection with the Red Fort blast. Investigators recovered a shoe from beneath the driving seat near the right front tyre of the i20 used in the attack.

Forensic teams found a metallic substance inside the shoe and traces of TATP (triacetone triperoxide) on both the tyre and the shoe, which are now being examined to determine if it acted as a trigger mechanism. Explosive traces were also discovered beneath the car’s rear seat, suggesting multiple components may have been involved in the blast plan.

Wani’s involvement as an ‘active co-conspirator’ came to light during the interrogation of previously arrested doctors linked to the module. The political science graduate revealed that he first met the doctor module last October at a mosque in Kulgam and had been asked by Umar to travel to Faridabad to participate in the terror plot.

Earlier, the NIA had also arrested Amir Rashid Ali, a resident of Pampore, Jammu & Kashmir, in whose name the i20 car used in the attack was registered.

A senior NIA officer stated, “Several teams are pursuing multiple leads and conducting searches across states to identify every person involved in the attack. The agency continues to explore various angles to fully unravel the conspiracy behind the Red Fort blast.”

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