NEW DELHI, Sept. 9, 2026: The National Investigation Agency (NIA) has described last year’s blast near Delhi’s Red Fort as a suicide attack, saying the accused, Umar-un-Nabi, activated an improvised explosive device (IED) while inside the car. The agency said its investigation has uncovered an alleged conspiracy involving an Ansar Ghazwat-ul-Hind (AGUH)-linked module and traced the movements and activities of the accused before the November 10, 2025, explosion.
According to the chargesheet, Umar-un-Nabi was inside the vehicle when the explosion occurred and is alleged to have triggered the IED through a specific command. The agency said this finding led investigators to classify the incident as a suicide attack. The NIA also alleged that the Red Fort was not selected as an immediate target and that the accused had conducted repeated reconnaissance of the area from December 2023 onward.
The agency said Umar and other accused had visited the Red Fort area several times as part of the alleged preparations. While no specific date had initially been fixed for the attack, the NIA alleged that the operation was subsequently accelerated after some members of the group were arrested in Srinagar, raising fears among the accused that the wider conspiracy could be exposed.
The chargesheet also refers to documents and handwritten notes that the NIA says reflected extremist ideological influences among the accused. One document, titled “Lone Mujahid Pocket Book/How to Become an Assassin,” allegedly contained material concerning explosives, weapons, covert operations and IEDs, as well as advocacy of violent opposition to democratic systems. The agency said handwritten notes recovered from an Al-Falah flat rejected democracy and called for rule under Sharia. The NIA further alleged that documents seized from the accused contained instructions on conducting clandestine operations, changing identities and evading detection.
