Delhi Blast: Who Is Dr Umar Un Nabi And What Does His Family Say?
Two days after the deadly Red Fort blast in Delhi that killed at least 12 people and injured more than 20, investigators have identified a Pulwama-based doctor, Dr Umar Un Nabi, as a key suspect in what authorities describe as a “well-coordinated terror plot.”
According to officials, Dr Umar Un Nabi, 36, had been working at Al-Falah Medical College in Faridabad for the past three years. Investigating agencies believe he transported explosive materials from Haryana to Delhi ahead of the blast, and that the vehicle used in the explosion — a white Hyundai i20 — was linked to him through a complex network of owners.
The explosion occurred around 6:52 p.m. on Monday near Gate 1 of the Red Fort Metro Station, causing a massive fire and chaos in the surrounding area.
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CCTV footage later revealed that the i20 car had arrived near Red Fort around 3 p.m. and remained parked in the area for several hours before the blast. Eyewitnesses described the explosion as a “fireball in traffic,” with flames leaping several metres high and 15 fire engines rushing to the scene.
Investigators recovered nearly 2,900 kg of explosives and inflammable materials from Dhauj and Fatehpur Taga villages in Faridabad, allegedly linked to Dr Umar Un Nabi. Authorities suspect the cache was part of a larger plan that involved other operatives across Delhi, Haryana, and Jammu & Kashmir.
The Delhi Police and central intelligence agencies say Dr Umar Un Nabi was not working alone. He was allegedly in contact with Adeel Ahmad Rather, a former senior resident at Government Medical College, Anantnag, and Mujammil Shakeel, both of whom were arrested earlier this week.
Investigators claim the three doctors were part of a “white-collar terror ecosystem” that used academic and charitable fronts to fund and transport explosive materials, possibly under the guidance of Jaish-e-Mohammed handlers.
After the arrests of Adeel and Mujammil, Umar is believed to have gone into hiding. Sources suggest he may have panicked when his associates were caught, leading him to carry out the blast prematurely.
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“He knew the network had been exposed. It’s possible he acted out of fear rather than instruction,” an official involved in the probe told reporters.
Back in Pulwama, Dr Umar’s family has denied any involvement, insisting he is innocent. His sister-in-law, Muzamila, told the media that Umar was a quiet, studious man dedicated to his profession.
“He was very attached to my children and loved them a lot. He was always studying or playing cricket when home. We cannot believe he could be involved in anything like this,” she said.
Muzamila added that security forces visited their home soon after the blast, questioning several family members. “They took my husband, brother-in-law, and mother-in-law for questioning. We last spoke to Umar last Friday. He said he was in Delhi,” she added.
The family also shared that Umar had been engaged recently but was not yet married, and that he hadn’t visited home for nearly two months. “We worked hard to educate him so that he could stand on his own feet. We are shocked,” she said.
Officials say the Red Fort blast was part of a larger terror network spanning multiple states. Several suspects have already been detained in Jammu & Kashmir, and the National Investigation Agency (NIA) is expected to take over the probe soon.
The Delhi Police has registered a case under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) and the Explosives Act. Forensic teams are currently examining the debris, explosive residues, and car fragments to establish the exact materials used.
Born in Pulwama, Jammu & Kashmir, in 1989, Dr Umar Un Nabi was described by locals as quiet, disciplined, and ambitious. He studied medicine before joining Al-Falah Medical College in Faridabad three years ago.
Investigators believe his medical background and professional cover allowed him to operate discreetly while allegedly managing logistics for the terror module.
(With inputs from agencies)
