Investigators probing the Delhi suicide car bomb attack have stumbled upon an alarming expansion of the terror plot: the white-collar module behind the strike was allegedly preparing to weaponise drones and fabricate crude rockets ahead of the November 10 blast near the Red Fort.
According to officials, the plan carried chilling echoes of the October 7, 2023 Hamas assault on Israel, where explosive-laden drones were used to overwhelm defences and unleash widespread destruction.
The National Investigation Agency (NIA) unearthed this new dimension to the conspiracy after arresting a second accused believed to have worked closely with suicide bomber Umar Un Nabi. The suspect, Jasir Bilal Wani alias Danish, a resident of Anantnag in Jammu and Kashmir, was picked up by an NIA team in Srinagar, just a day after the agency arrested another accomplice, Amir Rashid Ali, from Delhi.
In its statement, the NIA said Danish played a key technical role, assisting the module by attempting to modify commercially available drones to carry heavier explosive payloads and by experimenting with rudimentary rockets. He is accused of being an “active co-conspirator” who helped the group scale up its capabilities beyond the suicide car bomb.
Sources familiar with the investigation said Danish had been trying to design high-endurance drones fitted with larger batteries, capable of lifting substantial explosive charges while transmitting live visuals through onboard cameras. He reportedly has prior experience building small weaponised drones, now viewed as a major red flag by counter-terror agencies.
The module allegedly intended to fly a weaponised drone over a densely populated area, aiming for mass casualties. Investigators noted that similar tactics have been seen in conflict zones ranging from Gaza to Syria, where terror groups have used modified drones to devastating effect.
With the rapid proliferation of drone technology, agencies worldwide have been racing to build countermeasures. India, too, has substantially strengthened both its anti-drone systems and its drone warfare units, anticipating precisely such threats.
The NIA has intensified its probe, examining digital devices, communications, and material recovered from both suspects. Officials say the agency is pursuing multiple leads as it works to map the full extent of the white-collar terror network and prevent any future attempts at aerial attacks.
