Chandigarh: Police on Thursday sealed off a 200-metre radius around the red Ford EcoSport believed to be linked to suspects in the deadly Delhi blast, a day after the vehicle was recovered from Haryana’s Faridabad district, officials said.
A bomb disposal team reached Khandawali village on Wednesday evening after the car was seized for inspection. Police have also detained the man who allegedly parked the vehicle in the village and handed him over to Delhi Police.
Delhi Police had earlier issued an alert across all police stations, outposts and border checkpoints to locate the red EcoSport. Investigators found that the suspects had acquired three cars — a white Hyundai i20, a red EcoSport and a Maruti Suzuki Brezza — to carry vehicle-borne IEDs. Security agencies are now searching for the third vehicle.
According to sources, the EcoSport is registered to Dr. Umar Nabi, who is believed to have been driving the Hyundai i20 that exploded. Umar reportedly used the EcoSport for reconnaissance.
On Monday, authorities dismantled a “white-collar terror module” with alleged links to Jaish-e-Mohammed and Ansar Ghazwat-ul-Hind, operating across Jammu and Kashmir, Haryana and Uttar Pradesh. They seized 2,900 kg of explosive materials and arrested eight people, including three doctors associated with Al-Falah University in Faridabad.
Hours later, a high-intensity explosion tore through a slow-moving car near the crowded Red Fort metro station, killing 13 people and injuring several others. DNA testing on Thursday confirmed that Dr. Umar was driving the car that detonated.
On Wednesday, police teams visited Al-Falah University and the home of Dr. Muzammil Ganaie, another prime suspect. Several doctors and students at the university were questioned.
