Red Fort blast: Haryana link emerges as car used in blast registered to Gurugram man Salman; 2,900 kg explosives seized hours before in Faridabad

On 10th November, 10 people lost their lives and another two dozen were injured in a high-intensity explosion near Red Fort in Delhi. Reportedly, the blast took place inside a Hyundai i20 car parked near Gate No 1 of the Red Fort Metro Station. There are historic Gauri Shankar and Jain temples near the blast site.

According to an Aaj Tak report, the car used in the blast was registered in the name of Salman who lives in Gurugram North, Haryana. Police has taken him into custody for questioning. However, media reports say that Salman has informed the police that the car was sold to another person. The identity of the alleged new owner is being verified by the police.

Image: Republic

Scene of destruction and rapid response

The explosion occurred around 6:52 pm and was powerful enough to set multiple nearby vehicles ablaze and shatter the glass of surrounding shops. Delhi Police officials said there were three people inside the car at the time of the blast. An investigating officer said, “We are tracing the registration and tracking the movement of the car before the explosion.” Forensic Science Laboratory (FSL) and National Security Guard (NSG) teams collected samples from the site for analysis.

HM Amit Shah takes charge, multiple agencies join probe

Following the Red Fort blast, Union Home Minister Amit Shah took direct charge of the situation and spoke to Delhi Police Commissioner Satish Golcha. HM Shah directed multiple agencies including the National Investigation Agency (NIA), Special Cell, and Crime Branch, to jointly investigate.

In a statement, HM Shah said, “At around 7 pm, an explosion occurred in a Hyundai i20 car near Subhash Marg traffic signal by Red Fort. Some pedestrians were injured and vehicles damaged. Delhi Crime Branch and Special Branch teams reached within 10 minutes, and now NSG, NIA, and FSL teams are conducting a full investigation.”

Prime Minister Narendra Modi also expressed grief and conveyed condolences to the victim’s families. He spoke with the Home Minister to take stock of the situation.

2,900 kg explosive seized in Faridabad raises major suspicion

Notably, just eight hours before the blast, a major cache of explosives was seized from Faridabad, Haryana. The recovery included around 2,900 kg of explosives, detonators, assault weapons, and communication devices.

The operation was conducted jointly by the Intelligence Bureau (IB), Haryana Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS), and NIA. Among those detained were two doctors from Al Falah Hospital, a cleric from Mewat, and several suspects linked to the Pakistan-based terror group Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM). Officials described the network as a “medical-terror nexus”, where trained professionals provided logistical support and safe houses for IED manufacturing.

Investigators probing link between Red Fort blast and Faridabad seizure

Officials have also opened probe into whether the Delhi explosion and the Faridabad recovery are connected. The use of a Haryana-registered vehicle in the Red For tblast and the recovery of massive quantities of explosives from the same state have deepened suspicion of a coordinated terror network operating across Delhi-NCR.

Security has been tightened around the national capital as agencies examine CCTV footage and digital trails.