Inside the Red Fort Blast Probe: How Indian Agencies Are Tracking a Cross-Border Web of Handlers, Radicalisers, and Terror Tactics
Indian security agencies are racing to piece together one of the most complex terror conspiracies in recent years — the Red Fort blast of November 10, which sent shockwaves through Old Delhi and exposed a sophisticated cross-border network working through encrypted digital channels.
The investigation has now expanded far beyond India’s borders, reaching deep into the volatile terrains of Afghanistan and Pakistan, where the identities and roles of three foreign handlers are being closely examined.
A Key Handler Hiding in Afghanistan’s Jihadist Heartland
One of the primary handlers believed to be behind the blast has been identified as Dr Ukasha, a figure suspected to be based in Pachir Wa Agam district of Nangarhar province, Afghanistan.
This district is notorious for its connection to jihadist movements — home to the Tora Bora mountains, the same forbidding landscape that once sheltered Mujahideen fighters and later provided refuge to Osama bin Laden during the early phase of the US invasion.
Ukasha’s suspected presence in this historically militant-dominated region has intensified the urgency of the investigation.
Officials believe he is part of a trio of foreign handlers who guided a clandestine, tightly knit terror module of Kashmiri doctors who allegedly assembled the explosive device used in the Delhi attack.
Handlers Operating from Digital Safehouses
Investigators have identified three key handlers orchestrating the conspiracy from across the border:
- Dr Ukasha — suspected to be in Afghanistan
- Hashim — identity still unclear
- Faisal Iqbal Bhat — believed to be the most sophisticated of the three
The handlers allegedly radicalised the recruits, trained them in assembling explosives, and guided every step of the operation through encrypted channels like Telegram.
More than 40 instructional videos on bomb-making and chemical mixing were sent to the module.
A senior investigator revealed that Faisal Iqbal Bhat’s digital behaviour suggests he may be linked to Pakistan’s intelligence apparatus: His chats are sharp, structured, and operationally precise.
He assigns roles, gives step-by-step instructions, and even guides them on creating separate Telegram channels for each operational task.”
Bhat is suspected to be operating either from Pakistan or Afghanistan, reinforcing concerns about a coordinated cross-border terror ecosystem that leverages digital anonymity.
On-the-Ground Conspirators: A Kashmir-Centric Module
The individuals directly involved in executing the Delhi blast have now been identified:
- Umar Nabi — driver of the i20 car that exploded
- Muzammil Ahmed Ganai — from whose Faridabad flat 350 kg of ammonium nitrate was recovered
- Adeel Ahmed Rather
- Shaheen Saeed Ansari
- Mufti Irfan Ahmad Wagay — the alleged mastermind
Except for Ansari, all the accused hail from Kashmir, suggesting a deliberate attempt to assemble a module of educated, skilled operatives who could operate quietly and avoid suspicion.
The Cleric Who Became the Mastermind
According to investigators, Mufti Irfan Ahmad Wagay — a Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) operative and cleric from Shopian — is emerging as the central figure in the conspiracy.
His digital presence was found spanning multiple terror-related networks across Kashmir and Haryana.
Wagay allegedly:
- provided logistical support to JeM operatives
- facilitated the movement of weapons and funds
- indoctrinated and recruited youth
- coordinated with all members of the Delhi blast module
Investigators first stumbled upon his trail while probing the sudden appearance of JeM propaganda posters in Nowgam.
The posters, put up by three local boys under Wagay’s instructions, served as a gateway for the agencies to discover the larger network that eventually led them to the Delhi blast module.
Wagay had studied in seminaries in both Kashmir and Uttar Pradesh, which helped him build relationships across regions — connections that he allegedly used to support the terror plot.
A Multi-National Web Under the Scanner
As digital footprints point simultaneously to Afghanistan and Pakistan, Indian intelligence agencies are now coordinating with multiple countries to verify the handlers’ real identities and exact whereabouts.
Their primary task is to dismantle the entire cross-border chain — from radicalisation and training to logistics, propaganda, and execution.
The investigation continues to widen, unravelling layers of operational planning that show how modern terror networks operate through encrypted apps, remote handlers, and educated local recruits.
India’s security apparatus now faces the challenge of not only solving a single blast, but also disrupting a digital-era terror architecture that crosses borders effortlessly.
#RedFortBlast #DelhiBlastProbe #IndianSecurityAgencies #CrossBorderTerror #Nangarhar #ToraBora #JaishEMohammed #CounterTerrorism #IndiaSecurity #TerrorNetworkUncovered
