Security forces razed the two-story residence of Dr. Umar Nabi Bhat in Pulwama’s Koil village on November 14, 2025, using a controlled improvised explosive device (IED) demolition. The action, executed overnight from Thursday to Friday, targeted the home of the prime suspect in the deadly Red Fort car bombing that killed 13 people and injured over 20 on November 10. Officials described the site as reduced to rubble, twisted metal, and shattered debris, emphasizing it as a deterrent against terror support structures.
Confirmation of Umar Nabi’s Role and Blast Details
DNA from blast-site remains matched samples from Umar’s mother, Shamima Banoo, verifying he drove the Hyundai i20 packed with explosives that detonated at 6:52 p.m. near Red Fort’s Gate No. 1. CCTV footage captured him parking at Sunehri Masjid lot at 3:19 p.m., leaving at 6:28 p.m., and driving the vehicle just before the explosion, which damaged cars, sparked fires, and scattered debris across Netaji Subhash Marg.
The 36-year-old doctor from Al-Falah University’s School of Medical Sciences in Faridabad had shifted from academics to radicalization over two years, joining hard-line messaging groups. Forensic teams collected 40+ samples, including vehicle fragments, confirming ammonium nitrate-based IEDs.
The ‘White-Collar’ Terror Module and Arrests
Umar coordinated with fellow Kashmiri doctors Dr. Muzammil Ahmad Ganaie and Dr. Shaheen Shahid via Threema and a small Signal group. The module, tied to Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) and Ansar Ghazwat-ul-Hind (AGuH), amassed 2,900 kg of explosives, including 26 quintals of NPK fertilizer bought for Rs 3 lakh in Gurugram and Nuh using Rs 26 lakh in collected funds.
Eight arrests followed raids: Umar’s three family members, Ganaie, Shahid, Dr. Adeel Majeed Rather, and others from Srinagar, Shopian, and Ganderbal. A red Ford EcoSport, used for transporting ammonium nitrate, was seized in Faridabad. Diaries from Umar and Ganaie’s rooms hint at planning, including a foiled December 6 attack timed to the Babri anniversary.
Sources reveal eight suspects planned paired blasts in four cities, guided by a Pakistan-linked handler, “Ukasa.” The group met JeM operatives in Türkiye in 2021. A Turkey-linked Threema account and JeM posters in Srinagar traced the network.
Ongoing Probe and Security Measures
The National Investigation Agency (NIA) leads the multi-state inquiry, reconstructing Umar’s movements and tracing handlers. Red Fort remains closed for two more days amid heightened NCR alerts. The government vows swift justice, with PM Modi directing urgency.
Videos of the demolition have gone viral on X, with users hailing it as a strong anti-terror stance.
