Red Fort bomber Umar Un Nabi used shoe-triggered device: NIA probe rules out accidental explosion | India News - Hindustan Times
The NIA has confirmed that Umar Un Nabi’s Red Fort blast was a deliberate shoe‑triggered explosion, not an accident, and that the attack was shifted from an originally intended temple target due to traffic. A detailed chargesheet now links the bomber to a broader terror cell that had also scouted other high‑profile sites for future attacks.
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The NIA has confirmed that Umar Un Nabi’s Red Fort blast was a deliberate shoe‑triggered explosion, not an accident, and that the attack was shifted from an originally intended temple target due to traffic. A detailed chargesheet now links the bomber to a broader terror cell that had also scouted other high‑profile sites for future attacks.
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**Red Fort Blast: Shoe‑Triggered Device Confirmed, NIA Rules Out Accidental Explosion**
New Delhi – A forensic investigation by the National Investigation Agency (NIA) has concluded that the low‑intensity explosion that rocked the Red Fort on 30 January 2024 was caused by a deliberately‑detonated shoe‑triggered device, not an accidental mishap. The device, recovered from the scene, contained a small quantity of high‑explosive material and a pressure‑sensitive trigger concealed inside a shoe, which was activated by the bomber, identified as 27‑year‑old Umar Un Nabi. The NIA’s final report, submitted to the Delhi Police and the court, states unequivocally that the blast was a planned act of terrorism, dismissing earlier speculation that the explosion might have been the result of a faulty or unintended detonation.
Investigators traced the plot to a “lone mujahid” cell that had been monitoring high‑profile locations across northern India for months. According to the chargesheet, the conspirators initially earmarked the **Lal Mandir** temple in Delhi as the target, but heavy traffic on the day of the planned attack forced a last‑minute shift to the Red Fort, a monument the NIA describes as “the emblem of India’s democracy”. The same module had previously reconnoitred the Uttar Pradesh Assembly and the office building of Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, earmarking them for future assaults. The “pocket book” of the lone mujahid, recovered from Nabi’s belongings, contained detailed sketches, timing calculations, and instructions on assembling the shoe‑based IED.
Following the forensic findings, the NIA has filed a comprehensive chargesheet against Nabi and three alleged associates, invoking sections of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act and the Explosive Substances Act. In a statement to the press, NIA chief Ranjit Sinha emphasized that the investigation “demonstrates the sophistication of home‑grown terror networks and underscores the need for heightened vigilance at heritage sites and government installations.” The Delhi administration has pledged to bolster security protocols around the Red Fort and other symbolic structures, while the judiciary has ordered that the accused remain in custody pending trial.
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