‘Those responsible will not be spared’: Rajnath Singh’s stern warning after Red Fort blast

New Delhi: Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Tuesday issued a firm warning following the deadly Red Fort blast, assuring the nation that the perpetrators “will not be spared” and will face the harshest punishment.

His remarks came as investigators zeroed in on Dr Umar Un Nabi, a Pulwama-based doctor, now identified as the prime suspect in the explosion that ripped through a white Hyundai i20 near Delhi’s iconic Red Fort on Monday evening, killing at least nine people and injuring over 20.

Police sources suggest Dr Umar was at the wheel when the car exploded. He is believed to have been part of a terror module connected to the recent seizure of nearly 2,900 kg of explosives from a Faridabad property, an operation that also led to the arrests of two other Kashmiri doctors.

Speaking at the Delhi Defence Dialogue hosted by the Manohar Parrikar Institute for Defence Studies and Analyses (MP-IDSA), Singh said the government is treating the incident with the “utmost seriousness.”

“I want to firmly assure the nation that those responsible for this tragedy will be brought to justice and will not be spared under any circumstances,” Rajnath Singh declared.

He added that the country’s top investigative agencies were conducting a swift and coordinated probe, and the findings would soon be made public. The Defence Minister also extended condolences to the victims’ families and appealed for calm amid ongoing investigations.

Meanwhile, Union Home Minister Amit Shah chaired a high-level security meeting on Tuesday to assess the situation in the aftermath of the blast.

The meeting was attended by Home Secretary Govind Mohan, Intelligence Bureau Chief Tapan Deka, Delhi Police Commissioner Satish Golcha, and NIA Director General Sadanand Vasant Date. Jammu and Kashmir DGP Nalin Prabhat joined virtually.

Officials presented detailed reports on the progress of the investigation, including forensic findings, intelligence inputs, and security arrangements in the National Capital Region.

According to sources, the National Investigation Agency (NIA) is likely to take over the case shortly, as multiple states — including Jammu and Kashmir, Haryana, and Uttar Pradesh — are now part of the probe’s scope.

Shah, in an earlier media briefing, said all major security and intelligence agencies were “working in complete coordination” to identify those responsible and ensure “no conspirator escapes the law.”

In the wake of the attack, security has been heightened nationwide, with major cities such as Mumbai, Pune, Lucknow, and Bengaluru placed on high alert.

The Red Fort and surrounding areas will remain closed to the public for the next 72 hours for forensic examination.

Officials said that the blast — which investigators now link to a “white-collar terror network” involving educated professionals — represents a “serious and evolving threat” that requires tighter surveillance and interstate coordination.