Delhi Police on Tuesday found the 11-hour route map of the Hyundai i20 car involved in the blast near Lal Quila Metro station on Monday night.
The explosion claimed at least eight lives and injured several others.
Meanwhile, Union Home Minister Amit Shah arrived at the Ministry of Home Affairs at Kartavya Bhawan to chair another round of security clearance meeting after the Delhi car blast case.
Here’s what the investigation said
According to investigations, the vehicle left Faridabad for Red Fort around 11 hours before the incident and passed through multiple places during its journey. CCTV footage showed that the car was first spotted outside the Asiatic Hospital in Faridabad at around 7:30 am on Monday, as reported by ANI.
Read also | Delhi Red Fort Blast LIVE: Probe suggests ‘suicide’ attack; the death toll reached 13
At 8:13 a.m. the car crossed the Badarpur toll plaza and entered Delhi; meanwhile, he was spotted near a petrol pump near Okhla Industrial Area at 8.20am.
At 15:19, the car entered the parking area near the Red Fort complex, where it remained parked for about three hours. The car left the parking lot at 18:22 and moved towards the Red Fort. Just 24 minutes after she left, at 18:52, a powerful explosion occurred inside the moving car.
Fidayeen attack
According to the latest development, the initial investigation by the Delhi Police suggested that the high-intensity blast near the Red Fort complex may have been a fidayeen attack, Delhi Police sources told ANI on Tuesday.
“According to initial findings, investigators believe that the suspect intended to carry out the explosion. Once the suspect learned that the Faridabad module had been arrested, he allegedly proceeded to plan a fidayeen-style operation, apparently to maximize casualties and avoid capture by the police,” the sources added.
Investigators are also looking into whether the actual target of the attack was elsewhere as the car was moving slowly. Investigators are looking at every possible angle.
What is a Fidayeen attack?
A fidayeen attack (also spelled fidayeen or fedayeen) refers to a suicide attack styled by heavily armed militants who intend to fight to the death, often with little regard for escape or survival. The term comes from the Arabic “fedayeen”, meaning “those who sacrifice” or “self-sacrificing”.
It is worth mentioning that the Jammu, Kashmir and Haryana Police have jointly seized 360 kg of explosive material and ammunition from Haryana’s Faridabad and arrested two persons, Dr. Muzammil and Aadil Rather, in the matter early on Monday.
An investigation is underway
Agencies are currently investigating the matter and working to uncover the full intent of the explosion, while continuing efforts to identify all those involved and the sequence of events leading up to the incident.
The Rapid Action Force (RAF) was also deployed at the site near the Red Fort where the explosion occurred in a Hyundai i20 at around 7pm on Monday evening.
Several agencies, including the Delhi Police, FSL and others, are conducting investigations at the spot.
Delhi Police have made significant progress in the investigation into the explosion near the Red Fort area, with CCTV footage and analysis of data from the dump emerging as crucial clues.
Read also | Probe suggests Delhi blast was ‘fidayeen’ attack, report says
Investigators have traced the movement of the suspect vehicle and are now examining possible communications links established before and after the explosion.
According to officials, CCTV footage shows the suspect car entering and exiting the Red Fort parking lot shortly before the blast. The driver appears to be alone in the footage. The route towards Daryaganj is now under scrutiny and more than 100 CCTV clips, including footage from nearby toll plazas, are being reviewed to map the entire movement of the vehicle.
The blast, which occurred near the historic Red Fort complex, killed eight people and injured several, triggering panic in the area and prompting a massive security response. Teams from the Special Cell, Crime Branch and Forensic Science Laboratory (FSL) were deployed while the area was cordoned off and visitors evacuated.
ANI quoting sources said that investigative agencies are closely monitoring social media activity after the blast and have started extensive technical analysis of communication records. Data from all mobile phones that were active in the vicinity of the Red Fort complex at the time of the explosion are being examined.
Read also | Lives, families shattered — From businessmen to friends, no one was spared by the blast in Delhi
Officials said the data could help identify numbers linked to the car blast and reveal communications between suspects and possible accomplices. Dumping data from the Red Fort parking lot and surrounding zones was obtained as the occupants of the car may have been in contact with others before or after the incident, the officer said.
Investigators also extended the analysis to Faridabad and used the dump data to determine communication patterns between people who may be connected to the incident. Internet Protocol Detail Record (IPDR) analysis is performed to track devices that were inactive shortly after the blast, which may indicate deliberate attempts to avoid detection.
