Delhi terror suspects were readying multiple vehicles for coordinated attack: Probe

Investigators probing the Red Fort blast have uncovered fresh evidence suggesting that the suspects were preparing additional vehicles for use in coordinated terror attacks, sources said on Thursday.

“After the i20 and EcoSport cases came to light, it emerged that the conspirators were planning to ready two more similar old vehicles that would have contained explosives and could have expanded the target list,” a senior intelligence official said on anonymity.

Intelligence agencies are now probing whether those vehicles were being readied or had already been fitted with explosive material. The sources said sleuths were examining leads indicating that the two additional cars were being sourced and modified on the lines of the Hyundai i20 and Ford EcoSport linked to earlier phases of the conspiracy.

Investigators are combing through vehicle registration records, scrap dealers and second-hand car sellers, movement of auto parts, and CCTV and toll plaza footage to establish timelines and identify handlers who may have assisted in procuring or preparing the vehicles.

Forensic experts have been tasked with analysing recovered fragments and components from the blast site to determine whether the equipment used was an improvised explosive device (IED) or a different triggering mechanism. The intelligence agencies are also coordinating with state police units and traffic departments to track vehicle movements in the days leading up to the blasts.

Throughout Thursday, multiple security agencies were on the lookout for the third car— a Maruti Brezza—believed to be linked to the Red Fort blast case. “The missing Brezza is suspected to have been used by the accused for reconnaissance or escape,” another official said.

The Brezza was later traced to the premises of Al Falah University in Faridabad and was owned by accused suicide bomber Umer un-Nabi. A bomb disposal squad was deployed to inspect the car, which was subsequently secured by forensic teams.

Officials said the discovery of multiple vehicles being prepared underlined the possibility that the terror module had planned serial attacks across the National Capital Region. “The use of more cars indicates intent and capacity to strike multiple locations, a serious escalation,” a security official said.

The interrogation of the arrested suspects has further revealed a phase-wise plan to carry out serial blasts in Delhi-NCR, particularly on December 6, which marked the anniversary of the Babri Masjid demolition, sources said. The authorities have maintained tight secrecy over operational details to avoid compromising ongoing leads.

Meanwhile, the death toll in the November 10 terror strike rose to 13 after another injured victim, identified as Bilal, succumbed to injuries at the LNJP Hospital.