Video Surfaces of Alleged Red Fort Blast Driver Umar Nabi Discussing ‘Martyrdom Missions’; Delhi Police, NIA Verify Footage Amid Expanding Probe
A video featuring Umar Nabi, the man investigators believe was behind the wheel of the Hyundai i20 that exploded near Delhi’s Red Fort on November 10, has emerged on social media, raising fresh questions about his ideological motivations and possible links to extremist narratives.
In the 1-minute-20-second clip, Umar is seated on a chair in a small, dimly lit room, speaking directly to the camera.
He is heard delivering a monologue on what he calls “martyrdom operations,” asserting that such acts are often “misunderstood.”
“One of the most misconstrued ideas is that of suicide bombing,” he says in the video. “It is not suicide; it is a martyrdom mission.
When a person willingly accepts that he will die at a certain time and place, he challenges the belief that death comes unexpectedly.”
Police Verifying the Authenticity of the Video
Although the footage is circulating widely online, Delhi Police officials say they are still investigating its authenticity.
According to sources, the video is suspected to have been recorded by Umar himself and shared with his associates shortly before the Red Fort blast.
The case continues to be jointly investigated by the National Investigation Agency (NIA) and the Delhi Police Special Cell, both of which are probing Umar’s potential radicalisation and his network of contacts.
Forensic Evidence Confirmed Umar Was Driving
Umar, an assistant professor in the general medicine department at Al-Falah University, Faridabad, was identified using forensic evidence collected from the blast site.
DNA samples obtained from Umar’s mother matched the biological material found in the wreckage.
Investigators also recovered a charred portion of a leg near the accelerator, strongly suggesting the driver was trapped at the moment of detonation.
A black sports shoe lying next to the debris further supported this conclusion.
Associates Arrested; Car Purchased Under Associate’s Name
The NIA has since arrested two of Umar’s close associates —
- Amir Rashid Ali from Pulwama
- Kasir Bilal Wani alias Danish from Anantnag
According to the agency, the Hyundai i20 used in the attack was registered under Amir Rashid Ali’s name. NIA officials stated that Amir had travelled to Delhi specifically to assist in the vehicle’s purchase.
The car was later converted into a vehicle-borne Improvised Explosive Device (VBIED), which investigators say was used to trigger the powerful explosion that killed the driver and injured several people on the night of November 10.
Further Leads Under Scrutiny
Sources close to the investigation say agencies are also examining:
- whether Umar had recorded other such ideological videos,
- his communications with foreign-based handlers,
- and the role of academic or professional networks in facilitating his activities.
Authorities are also reviewing digital traces from his phone, laptop, and social media accounts to map the full extent of his involvement and identify potential collaborators still at large.
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