Police probe origin of restricted 9mm calibre rounds found near Red Fort blast site
New Delhi: Security agencies have recovered three bullet cartridges, including two live rounds, from the debris near the Red Fort blast site and are examining their origin, officials said on Sunday.
The cartridges, one empty shell and two 9mm live bullets, a calibre not permitted for civilian use, were found close to the Hyundai i20 that exploded near the historic monument on November 10, killing 13 people and injuring more than two dozen.
According to sources, those rounds are typically issued only to specialised security units or authorised personnel. “Staff deployed at the spot were asked to check their ammunition, but none was found missing. The cartridges were there, but there was no weapon to fire them. Investigations are underway to determine how the bullets reached the site,” a source said.
Investigators are also reconstructing the movements of the accused, Dr Umar Nabi, from the time he left Faridabad, travelled via Nuh in Haryana, and arrived in Delhi, where the blast occurred. The reconstruction includes verifying check posts crossed, CCTV footage from over 50 cameras, call records, and tower locations to map every stop on his route.
Parallel lines of inquiry involve probing alleged financial links between Umar’s associates and foreign handlers. A hawala trail of nearly Rs 20 lakh has surfaced, with investigators suspecting that part of the money was used to procure chemicals, including fertiliser worth about Rs 3 lakh, used for making explosives.
Experts believe the blast involved Triacetone Triperoxide (TATP), known as the “mother of satan,” a highly volatile and sensitive explosive compound, along with ammonium nitrate that amplified the blast’s intensity.
Security agencies continue to question staff and students linked to Al-Falah University in Haryana’s Faridabad, where several arrested doctors, including Muzammil and Shaheen, were based. Daily checks of attendance logs, staff movement, and contact networks are being carried out. A female doctor associated with the university has been detained for questioning after several individuals who interacted with the accused were found missing.
Investigators are also examining vehicles parked near Umar’s car in the hours leading up to the explosion. A detailed log of entries and exits at the Sunehri Masjid parking area between those hours has been compiled, and drivers are being shown Umar’s photograph to confirm whether he was alone or met anyone.
Meanwhile, Delhi Police have registered two FIRs against Al-Falah University following alerts from the University Grants Commission (UGC) and the National Assessment and Accreditation Council (NAAC) over alleged forgery and cheating related to accreditation documents.
A separate FIR under criminal conspiracy provisions is also probing the wider terror network. Raids are ongoing in Delhi, Haryana, and Uttar Pradesh to trace the accused’s financial operations, chemical procurement, and possible hideouts.
With inputs from PTI