Demolition in Pulwama: Inside the Expanding Probe Into the Red Fort Bomber

The Red Fort car explosion that shook Delhi on November 10, 2025 continues to widen in scope, revealing a sophisticated terror network operating far beyond the capital. In one of the most dramatic developments so far, security agencies demolished the Pulwama home of the prime suspect, Dr Umar un-Nabi, during late-night operations in South Kashmir. The two-storey structure in Koil village was brought down using controlled explosives after investigators confirmed Umar’s role through DNA evidence collected from the blast site. Officials stated that the demolition was part of a broader crackdown meant to disrupt the network that facilitated the attack.

According to forensic findings, the charred remains from the Hyundai i20 used in the explosion matched the DNA of Umar un-Nabi’s mother, conclusively establishing his identity. The 28-year-old, once seen as a promising doctor working in Faridabad, had reportedly left his rented accommodation days before the attack, switched off all communication devices, and began moving covertly between Delhi and Kashmir. CCTV footage later placed him at the Faiz-e-Ilahi Mosque near Ramlila Maidan mere hours before the blast, further strengthening the case against him.

Dr Umar Nabi house in Jammu and Kashmir's Pulwama blown up by security agencies | India Today

Unraveling a Radicalised Network of Professionals

The investigation has revealed an unsettling pattern: the core operatives behind the plot were not traditional radicals but highly educated doctors. Umar un-Nabi, Dr Muzammil Ahmad Ganaie and Dr Shaheen Shahid were all linked to the same academic environment in Haryana, where they reportedly formed a tight-knit ideological circle during the pandemic. Diaries recovered from their rooms indicate that this “doctors’ module” extended across Jammu & Kashmir, Faridabad and Delhi, with an estimated 25–30 members in varying levels of involvement.

Communication within the network was carried out exclusively on encrypted platforms such as Threema and Signal, leaving behind minimal digital traces. Investigators are tracing financial exchanges amounting to nearly ₹26 lakh reportedly raised to procure chemicals and materials. Part of this money was allegedly used to purchase roughly 26 quintals of NPK fertiliser from suppliers in Nuh, Gurugram and surrounding regions—one of the key ingredients required for IED fabrication. This procurement forms a crucial link between the Delhi blast and the earlier seizure of nearly 2,900 kg of explosives from a warehouse in Faridabad.

The Demolition and Its Wider Symbolism

The destruction of Umar’s house has stirred public debate in Kashmir. Security forces argue that the demolition sends a clear message to those facilitating terrorism—whether directly or through harbouring militants. They frame it as a deterrent in a region where infrastructural assets often act as safe havens for operatives who retreat after carrying out attacks. On the other hand, civil rights advocates and local residents claim that the action may unfairly impact relatives who played no role in the crime. For now, authorities remain firm, insisting that the operation was backed by intelligence inputs and executed with legal sanction.

The Jammu & Kashmir Police continue to conduct raids across Pulwama, Anantnag and Faridabad. Six individuals, including three of Umar’s family members, have been detained for questioning. Investigators are also verifying reports of a foreign handler, identified only as “Ukasa”, who may have coordinated the flow of finances and instructions to the module.

A National Security Challenge With Global Dimensions

The Red Fort attack has jolted security agencies for multiple reasons. The targeting of a high-security tourist area in the capital, the use of a suicide-style vehicle blast, and the involvement of well-educated professionals suggests a shift in the recruitment strategies of extremist groups. Links to Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) and the Kashmir-based outfit Ansar Ghazwat-ul-Hind (AGuH) further indicate that Pakistan-backed modules remain active and adaptive despite years of counter-terror operations.

Officials increasingly believe that the Red Fort blast was meant to be the first in a series of coordinated attacks across four major Indian cities. Intercepts and diaries hint at teams of two being formed and prepared for simultaneous operations. While the core plan was disrupted, the possibility of sleeper cells or unactivated modules remains a serious concern. The investigation has therefore expanded into a nationwide scrutiny of academic institutions, online radicalisation pathways and logistic networks that enable terror plots to move unnoticed across state borders.

The MGMM Outlook

The unfolding investigation into the Red Fort car blast has once again exposed how India continues to confront an evolving, deeply embedded terror network that adapts faster than many expect. From our viewpoint, the demolition of Dr Umar un-Nabi’s Pulwama home is not merely a punitive action but a strategic signal—an assertion that the Indian state will not allow safe havens, emotional or physical, to protect those who wage war against the nation. The evidence trail—from DNA confirmation to CCTV sightings and encrypted communication logs—shows a meticulously planned operation involving highly educated individuals who consciously chose extremism over national duty. What makes this case more alarming is the network’s reach: links stretching from Delhi to Faridabad to South Kashmir, foreign handlers guiding operations, and financial flows designed to sustain a long-term terror ecosystem. The demolition, in this context, reflects a clear message that India is prepared to neutralise not just terrorists but the entire architecture that enables them.

From our perspective, the revelations surrounding the “doctors’ module” underline a disturbing trend—radicalisation no longer emerges from the fringes but can grow quietly within respected professions and academic institutions. The procurement of fertiliser, encrypted conversations, and references to future coordinated strikes across multiple Indian cities suggest that the Red Fort blast was intended as the opening act of a much larger assault on national stability. The crackdown across Pulwama, Anantnag and the NCR, along with the detention of close associates and family members, underscores how deeply this network had rooted itself. The ongoing probe highlights an urgent national reality: terrorism today is sophisticated, borderless and ideologically layered, requiring uncompromising vigilance and decisive action. The case stands as a reminder that India’s security challenges are no longer limited to traditional militant zones—they now hide within urban centres, professions and digital spaces, and must be confronted with equal resolve and clarity.

(Sources: India Today, NDTV, Times of India)