Delhi Blast: Suspects Planned Diwali Attack, Aborted Delhi Blast Plot Later

Key Highlights:

• Key suspect Muzammil has revealed that a Diwali attack was planned but could not be carried out, with additional reconnaissance conducted at Red Fort for a January 26 Republic Day strike
• National Investigation Agency has taken over the probe into the blast that killed nine people near Red Fort on November 10, 2025, with senior doctor Muzammil under intensive questioning
• Investigators have uncovered a white-collar terror ecosystem involving medical professionals from Al Falah University in Faridabad, with 2,900 kg of explosives seized hours before the blast

Opening Overview

Delhi Blast suspects had meticulously planned an attack during Diwali celebrations but aborted the operation, according to shocking revelations from key suspect Muzammil during interrogation by investigating agencies. The disclosure has sent shockwaves through India’s security establishment, revealing a broader terror conspiracy that extends beyond the deadly November 10 explosion near Red Fort that claimed nine lives.

Muzammil, a senior doctor associated with Faridabad’s Al Falah University, told investigators that he and his aide Umar had conducted reconnaissance at Red Fort as part of an attack plan targeting January 26, 2026, India’s Republic Day. The National Investigation Agency (NIA) has now taken over the Delhi Blast investigation, with Union Home Minister Amit Shah directing the agency to submit its probe report at the earliest. Data dumps from Muzammil’s phone have provided crucial evidence linking the suspects to a sophisticated white-collar terror ecosystem operated by Pakistan-based handlers.

⚡ Delhi Blast Investigation Update:

During interrogation, Dr. Shaheen Shahid confessed to stockpiling explosives for over 2 years and planning coordinated terror attacks across India with other doctors.

Key revelations:

Dr. Umar Un Nabi, Dr. Muzammil Ahmad Ganaie, and Dr.… pic.twitter.com/Ap6y5Hs6ZN

— AsiaWarZone (@AsiaWarZone) November 12, 2025

Interrogation Breakthroughs and Terror Timeline

Investigators confronted Muzammil with information recovered from his phone’s data dump, leading to critical revelations about the aborted Diwali attack plan and future strike preparations. According to sources familiar with the Delhi Blast investigation, Muzammil confirmed that a crowded location was targeted for attack during Diwali festivities in October 2025, though the operation could not be executed for reasons still under investigation. During questioning sessions, the key suspect revealed reconnaissance activities at Red Fort were part of a January 26, 2026 attack plan coinciding with Republic Day celebrations, one of India’s most significant national events.

Key findings from the interrogation include:

• Red Fort area was surveyed by Muzammil and Umar for vulnerability assessment before the explosion
• Attack plans were being coordinated through encrypted communication channels with foreign handlers
• The terror module had been operational since January 2025, preparing for multiple high-profile strikes

The Delhi Blast occurred when Umar Nabi, Muzammil’s colleague at Al Falah University, allegedly panicked after investigators arrested key members of the terror module and seized 2,900 kg of explosives from residential buildings in Faridabad. Intelligence sources told NDTV that the raids on November 10 morning may have triggered a panic situation, compelling Umar to relocate the explosives, which ultimately led to the premature detonation near Red Fort Metro Station at 6:52 PM. The incident involving a Hyundai i20 car left nine dead and over 20 injured, marking the capital’s first major terror attack in 13 years.

White-Collar Terror Ecosystem Exposed

Jammu and Kashmir Police have characterized the uncovered network as a “white-collar terror ecosystem” involving highly educated medical professionals operating at the behest of Pakistan-backed handlers. The Delhi Blast investigation has revealed the alleged involvement of doctors and academics from Al Falah University in Faridabad, who were using their professional credentials as cover for terror activities. According to official statements, the group relied on encrypted channels for indoctrination, coordination, fund movement and logistics, with funds raised through professional and academic networks under the guise of social or charitable causes.

The terror module’s sophisticated operations included:

• Identification and radicalization of individuals for recruitment into terrorist ranks
• Arrangement of logistics and procurement of arms, ammunition and IED-making materials
• Use of professional positions at educational institutions for coordination and planning
• Financial transactions disguised as legitimate academic or charitable activities

Dr. Muzammil Ganaie, a teacher at Al Falah University, was among those arrested in coordinated raids across Jammu and Kashmir, Haryana and Uttar Pradesh that preceded the Delhi Blast incident. Investigators have identified at least six individuals from the university involved in these activities, including three doctors: Muzammil Shakil, Umar Mohammed and Shaheen Shahid. Shaheen Shahid was allegedly tasked with establishing the women’s wing of Jaish-e-Mohammed in India, with rifles and ammunition recovered from her vehicle. The module’s links extend to the Pakistan-based terror outfit Jaish-e-Mohammed and the al-Qaeda affiliated Ansar Ghazwat-ul-Hind, both banned terrorist organizations.

Massive Explosives Cache and Military-Grade Materials

The coordinated operation that preceded the Delhi Blast resulted in the seizure of 2,900 kg of IED-making materials from residential buildings in Faridabad, representing one of the largest explosive hauls in recent Indian counterterrorism operations. According to official data from the Jammu and Kashmir Police, the recovered materials included chemicals, reagents, inflammable materials and electronic components sufficient for preparing approximately 200 powerful Improvised Explosive Devices. Intelligence sources revealed that ammonium nitrate, a dual-use chemical widely used as nitrogen fertilizer, formed the primary component of the explosives seized during the raids.

Forensic analysis of the Delhi Blast site revealed the use of Ammonium Nitrate Fuel Oil (ANFO) and detonators, with initial probe results pointing toward possible military-grade explosives given the explosion’s high intensity and impact pattern. Sources told India Today that the severity suggested components beyond standard ANFO mixtures, though forensic tests were ongoing to ascertain the exact explosive composition. The low cost and high availability of ANFO have made it a preferred choice for terrorists in improvised explosive devices, raising concerns about procurement networks. According to government data, terrorism-related incidents in India have decreased by 70% between 2014 and 2024, with terrorist incidents dropping from 7,217 during 2004-2014 to 2,242 in the subsequent decade.

NIA Takes Charge: Multi-State Investigation Intensifies

The National Investigation Agency constituted a dedicated and comprehensive investigation team to probe the Delhi Blast case, with the Ministry of Home Affairs formally handing over the investigation citing terror angles behind the explosion. The NIA team, functioning under the supervision of senior officers of Superintendent of Police rank and above, promptly registered a case and launched detailed investigations to trace those responsible and uncover the broader network involved. Union Home Minister Amit Shah chaired a high-level security review meeting and directed the NIA to submit its Delhi Blast investigation report at the earliest, while also instructing the Forensic Science Laboratory to match sample specimens collected from the site.

The Delhi Blast investigation involves coordination between multiple agencies across several states:

• NIA leading the federal probe under Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act provisions
• Jammu and Kashmir State Investigation Agency examining the terror module’s Kashmir connections
• Haryana Police tracking the Faridabad-based logistics and safe houses
• Delhi Police providing local intelligence and site evidence

Sources revealed that the explosive-laden Hyundai i20 car used in the Delhi Blast attack was parked inside Al Falah University campus in Faridabad between October 29 and November 9, just days before it was driven into the capital. The NIA team, along with forensic experts from the National Security Guard and Forensic Science Laboratory, has conducted multiple inspections of the Delhi Blast site near Red Fort to gather additional evidence.

Delhi Police filed an FIR under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, confirming the incident as a terror attack with initial assessments pointing toward a Jaish-e-Mohammed module. According to terrorism statistics from the South Asia Terrorism Portal, India recorded 626 terrorism-related fatalities in 2024, down from historical peaks but highlighting the ongoing security challenge.

Closing Assessment

The Delhi Blast investigation has exposed a sophisticated white-collar terror ecosystem that represents a dangerous evolution in India’s security landscape, with educated professionals exploiting their academic credentials and institutional access to plan devastating attacks. The revelation that suspects planned a Diwali attack and conducted reconnaissance for a Republic Day strike underscores the scale and ambition of this terror module’s operations.

With the NIA now leading a comprehensive multi-state investigation, authorities are racing to dismantle the network’s infrastructure, identify foreign handlers and prevent future attacks. The seizure of 2,900 kg of explosives capable of creating 200 IEDs suggests the Delhi Blast may have been just one component of a much larger conspiracy targeting India’s capital and other major cities. As investigators continue analyzing data dumps from arrested suspects’ phones and tracing the procurement networks for military-grade explosives, the full extent of this white-collar terror ecosystem’s reach and capabilities continues to unfold.