NEW DELHI: In a major breakthrough in the investigation into the deadly November 10 car bomb blast near the Red Fort, the National Investigation Agency (NIA) on November 17 arrested a second key associate of the main perpetrator, Dr. Umar un Nabi. The accused, identified as Jasir Bilal Wani, alias Danish, a resident of Qazigund in Jammu & Kashmir’s Anantnag district, was arrested from Srinagar.
Danish had allegedly been providing technical support to the terror module. According to the NIA, he assisted Umar in modifying drones, experimenting with rockets, and developing mechanisms to execute high-impact terror strikes. Officials say his role “went far beyond aiding”; he was integral to both the planning and the intended execution of a possible fidayeen attack.
Jasir Bilal Wani alias Danish has been arrested by the NIA in the Red Fort car bomb blast case. The Kashmir resident was picked up from Srinagar as the agency continues its probe into the attack.
NIA findings show he provided technical support by modifying drones and attempting… pic.twitter.com/JhgBFiskbU
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The probe indicates a sinister pattern of radicalisation. Sources suggest that the alleged terrorist, Dr. Umar un Nabi, who has been forensically established as the deceased driver of the explosive-laden car, first met Danish at a mosque in Kashmir. It was there that the dry-fruit seller’s son was allegedly brainwashed and drawn into the terrorist module. Alarmingly, officials have uncovered that Danish was not just an aide in the bombing conspiracy but was also told by Umar to be prepared to carry out a fidayeen (suicide) attack himself.
The arrest comes a day after Danish’s father, Bilal Ahmed, allegedly set himself ablaze outside a police station after being denied permission to meet his two detained sons. He succumbed to injuries at a Srinagar hospital on Monday. The incident has created tension in the area, though officials maintain that the investigation will continue “strictly on merit”.
Danish’s arrest follows the earlier detention of Amir Rashid Ali, a resident of Pampore, who allegedly helped procure the car used in the blast. The vehicle was registered in Amir’s name, and investigators say he travelled to Delhi specifically for its purchase, fully aware of its intended use as a vehicle-borne improvised explosive device (VBIED).
Officials have already examined 73 witnesses, including several survivors, and are collaborating with Delhi Police, J&K Police, Haryana Police, Uttar Pradesh Police and other agencies to track the broader network.
The NIA has stated that the probe now spans multiple states, with fresh leads emerging about a wider radicalisation pipeline and logistical support chain linked to the attack.
