Investigators probing the deadly explosion near the Red Fort metro station have uncovered fresh evidence suggesting that the attack may have been part of a larger, meticulously planned operation. Police sources said Dr Muzammil Ganaie, a medical professional recently arrested in connection with the busted white-collar terror module, conducted multiple reconnaissance visits to the Red Fort area in January, weeks before the Republic Day celebrations, news agency PTI reported on November 12.
According to senior officials analysing his mobile phone data, Dr Ganaie’s movements around the Red Fort were neither casual nor coincidental. The pattern, they believe, points towards a pre-attack survey to assess security layers and identify vulnerabilities ahead of 26 January. His visits coincided with increased public activity in the area, including tourist inflows and routine security drills.
A senior police officer, speaking on condition of anonymity, said that tower location records and CCTV footage confirmed Dr Ganaie’s presence in the vicinity on multiple occasions. “These visits were part of a detailed reconnaissance ahead of a planned attack on January 26,” the officer said, adding that heightened patrolling in the run-up to Republic Day might have thwarted the attempt at that stage.
Dr Ganaie was not working alone. Investigators said his associate, Dr Umar Nabi, accompanied him during some of these visits to study crowd patterns and the deployment of security personnel. Authorities are now examining whether other members of the same module carried out similar recces or offered logistical assistance.
The probe has also widened to trace the flow of funds that supported the group’s operations. Teams are analysing Dr Ganaie’s communications and digital footprint to establish the source of financing and the procurement of explosives. Several mobile data dumps have been retrieved, particularly those linked to Dr Nabi’s movements around the Red Fort area. Investigators are reviewing call records and online transactions to identify possible handlers or financiers behind the module.
The investigation took a grim turn on Monday evening when a high-intensity explosion from a slow-moving car ripped through the Red Fort metro station area, killing 12 people and injuring several others. The blast, which sent shockwaves through the capital, bore hallmarks of a coordinated strike rather than an isolated act.
Given the complexity of the case and its potential national security implications, the probe has now been handed over to the National Investigation Agency (NIA). The transfer signals the seriousness with which authorities are treating the emerging evidence of an organised terror network operating under a seemingly professional front.
According to senior officials analysing his mobile phone data, Dr Ganaie’s movements around the Red Fort were neither casual nor coincidental. The pattern, they believe, points towards a pre-attack survey to assess security layers and identify vulnerabilities ahead of 26 January. His visits coincided with increased public activity in the area, including tourist inflows and routine security drills.
A senior police officer, speaking on condition of anonymity, said that tower location records and CCTV footage confirmed Dr Ganaie’s presence in the vicinity on multiple occasions. “These visits were part of a detailed reconnaissance ahead of a planned attack on January 26,” the officer said, adding that heightened patrolling in the run-up to Republic Day might have thwarted the attempt at that stage.
Dr Ganaie was not working alone. Investigators said his associate, Dr Umar Nabi, accompanied him during some of these visits to study crowd patterns and the deployment of security personnel. Authorities are now examining whether other members of the same module carried out similar recces or offered logistical assistance.
The probe has also widened to trace the flow of funds that supported the group’s operations. Teams are analysing Dr Ganaie’s communications and digital footprint to establish the source of financing and the procurement of explosives. Several mobile data dumps have been retrieved, particularly those linked to Dr Nabi’s movements around the Red Fort area. Investigators are reviewing call records and online transactions to identify possible handlers or financiers behind the module.
The investigation took a grim turn on Monday evening when a high-intensity explosion from a slow-moving car ripped through the Red Fort metro station area, killing 12 people and injuring several others. The blast, which sent shockwaves through the capital, bore hallmarks of a coordinated strike rather than an isolated act.
Given the complexity of the case and its potential national security implications, the probe has now been handed over to the National Investigation Agency (NIA). The transfer signals the seriousness with which authorities are treating the emerging evidence of an organised terror network operating under a seemingly professional front.
