Pulwama-based doctor Mohammad Umar Nabi was suspected to be behind the wheel of the Hyundai i20 involved in the November 10 blast near Red Fort in Delhi.
Top security sources told PTI that Umar Nabi was driving the car that exploded near the Red Fort on Monday evening, killing at least 12 people and injuring 20 others.
“Based on CCTV footage, it can be almost definitely determined that Dr Umar was driving the car in which the blast took place,” sources said.
Who was Umar Nabi?
Umar Nabi was an assistant professor at Al-Falah University in Faridabad district of Haryana. He was allegedly part of a terrorist module.
Umar hailed from Koil village in Lethpora in Pulwama district. He was allegedly carrying explosives, possibly ammonium nitrate, in the car involved in the November 10 blast near Red Fort, officials said.
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Officials said a man named Tariq from Pulwama district gave the i20 to Umar and is now under arrest.
Sources said that during operations conducted by security agencies at multiple locations in Kashmir and Faridabad since October 19, Dr. Umar changed his location due to constant pressure from the agencies.
Umar Nabi was an “introvert”
Muzamil, his sister-in-law, told PTI that Umar was an introvert since childhood, did not have many friends and was focused on studies and work. She said the family could not believe he could be involved in terrorist activities.
“He was working as a faculty member in a college in Faridabad. He called on Friday saying he was busy with exams and would return home after three days. He was a reserved type of person since childhood,” said Muzamil.
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She insisted that Umar was not the type of person to engage in terrorist activities.
“We fought a lot for him to get an education, to be able to take care of himself and his family. This is unbelievable,” she added.
Umar last visited Kashmir two months ago, Muzamil said.
“Umar may have panicked”
Officials involved in the investigation said they are not ruling out the possibility of accidental detonation of the explosives in the car as Umar may have panicked.
Sources said Umar fled when he panicked at the successful crackdown by security forces in Faridabad and his anxiety and desperation probably led to the Red Fort explosion.
“Upset by the successful operation of the agencies, Umar fled and whether his panic, anxiety and lack of options led to the blast or it was pre-planned/accidental will be known later,” the source said.
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Investigations reportedly revealed that Umar waited at the Sunehri Masjid parking lot near the Red Fort for nearly three hours while searching the internet for updates regarding the arrest of his associates in Faridabad.
Investigators were also able to create an 11-hour trail of Umar’s vehicle.
It was not yet clear how many people were in the car during the explosion. While it was initially claimed that there were three people, another account said that the only passenger was only Umar, who was on the run after the destruction of the Faridabad terror pod.
The blast occurred just hours after nearly 3,000 kilograms of explosives were seized in Faridabad.
Is Nabi alive?
Officials earlier said Dr. Umar Nabi was driving the i20 that exploded Monday night and is believed to be one of the 12 people killed. He is believed to have died in the explosion.
The Jammu and Kashmir Police took a DNA sample from his mother to establish a link.
