New Delhi: A chilling new CCTV footage has surfaced showing the exact moment a white Hyundai i20 car exploded near Delhi's Red Fort, killing at least 10 people and injuring nearly two dozen others.
The powerful blast, which occurred on Monday evening, has now been officially taken over by the National Investigation Agency (NIA) as a suspected act of terrorism.
The footage, obtained from a traffic surveillance camera near Red Fort Metro Station's Gate Number 1, reveals the white Hyundai i20 slowly navigating through heavy rush-hour traffic before suddenly erupting into flames. Surrounding vehicles - including e-rickshaws and auto-rickshaws can be seen swerving in panic as the explosion engulfs the car in a massive fireball.
Within seconds, thick smoke fills the area as nearby commuters flee for safety. Emergency teams arrived quickly, but by then, the car had been reduced to a charred metal shell.
READ MORE: 'We saw hands and lungs on the road': Eyewitness reveals horrors of Red Fort blast | VIDEO
Car identified as white Hyundai i20 linked to suspected terror module
Investigators have identified the vehicle as a white Hyundai i20 bearing registration number HR 26CE 7674, believed to have been driven by Dr Umar Nabi, a 32-year-old medical professional suspected to be part of a terror module linked to Pakistan-based Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM).
According to officials, the blast took place around 6:52 PM on Monday and caused extensive damage to nearby buildings and vehicles in the densely populated Old Delhi area.
How Umar Nabi got the explosive-laden car
Sources close to the investigation revealed that Dr Umar Nabi had purchased the car on October 29 from a Faridabad-based used car dealer named Sonu. CCTV footage retrieved from the area shows Nabi visiting a Pollution Under Control (PUC) booth near Royal Car Zone, located in the same complex as the dealer's showroom, shortly after finalising the purchase.
After obtaining the PUC certificate, Nabi reportedly drove the car to Al-Falah Medical College, where it was parked next to a Maruti Swift Dzire owned by Dr Muzammil Shakeel. Shakeel has already been arrested in connection with a separate case involving the seizure of 2,900 kg of explosives.
Investigators further found that the Swift Dzire was registered under the name of Dr Shaheen Saeed, a Lucknow-based medical practitioner who was also taken into custody for alleged terror links.
READ MORE: Delhi Red Fort blast: What we know so far and key revelations from the NIA probe
NIA takes charge, probe focuses on Jaish-e-Mohammed links
The NIA, which has officially taken over the investigation, is now probing the possible network of doctors and professionals allegedly aiding terror groups through logistical and financial support.
A senior Home Ministry official described the Red Fort explosion as a "heinous terror act", adding that the government has adopted a zero-tolerance policy towards terrorism.
Security across Delhi and neighbouring states has been heightened, with intelligence agencies tracing digital communication and financial transactions linked to the suspects.
The Union Cabinet, chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, has condemned the attack and directed agencies to bring the perpetrators and their sponsors to justice without delay. The Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS) also met earlier this week to review the situation, following the arrests of several individuals believed to be part of an inter-state "white-collar" terror network.