Preliminary inspection of the red Ford EcoSport car owned by Dr Umar Un-Nabi, the prime suspect of the blast near Delhi’s Red Fort on Monday, found outside a house near Faridabad’s Khandawali village, showed suspected traces of ammonium nitrate, people aware of the matter said.
The Delhi-registered car (DL10 CK 0458) was traced on Wednesday after an intelligence input from the Jammu and Kashmir Police, which has been tracing vehicles that the busted terror module linked to the blast allegedly used.
A National Security Guard (NSG) bomb disposal team rushed to Khandawali and sealed an area within a 50-metre radius of the car. The Haryana Police sealed a larger 200-metre perimeter.
Officials said the NSG team scanned the vehicle to ensure it did not contain any hidden explosive materials. “Preliminary inspection indicates that traces of ammonium nitrate may be present in the car. Samples have been collected for laboratory testing,” said a police official. “We suspect that the same explosive compound was transported in different vehicles to multiple locations.”
The Delhi blast followed the recovery of nearly 2,900 kilograms of ammonium nitrate, detonators, timers, and assault rifles.
Faridabad Police spokesperson Yashpal Singh said the vehicle was found parked near the premises of one Farrukh Khan, an autorickshaw and JCB driver. “The car has been seized and handed over to the National Investigation Agency (NIA) for detailed forensic examination,” Singh said.
Khan was detained for questioning. “He is a poor man. His connection with Dr Umar or any terror activity has not yet been established,” a second officer said.
Khandawali residents expressed disbelief over the developments. “Farrukh is a simple man who barely earns enough for his family. It is impossible to believe he had any link with terrorists,” said Mohammad Mubin, a neighbour. Another villager, Shakir Hussain, added, “He does not even own a car. Shockingly, such a vehicle was found outside his house.”
Investigators said the red Ford EcoSport was registered under a fake address in Delhi’s Seelampur area. Nabi is suspected of having used it for reconnaissance and to transport explosive materials before the Red Fort blast.
Officials described the recovery as “a critical breakthrough” in tracking the movements of the accused and uncovering the wider network operating across Haryana, Delhi, and Jammu and Kashmir.
