Delhi blast probe reveals plot for Republic Day, suspects linked to 200 IEDs

The investigation into the Red Fort car explosion in Delhi has taken a grim turn, with intelligence officials now probing whether the attack was part of a broader terror conspiracy timed for Republic Day celebrations. Sources in the National Investigation Agency (NIA) and Delhi Police say digital evidence recovered from the phone of a Faridabad-based doctor has exposed encrypted chats, location pings near sensitive sites, and references to over 200 improvised explosive devices (IEDs).

Officials have confirmed that the mobile data retrieved by the NIA from the suspect’s cloud backups points to coordination between multiple individuals across Delhi, Haryana, and Uttar Pradesh. The doctor—who was among those killed in the explosion—is believed to have been handling medical supplies that were repurposed for bomb-making materials.

NIA findings, early leads

The NIA, which formally took over the probe from the Delhi Police’s Special Cell, has described the incident as a “multi-node plot” with indications of both local radicalisation and cross-border funding. Preliminary forensic analysis of the car debris suggests that the explosive used was a high-grade mixture of ammonium nitrate and RDX, detonated via a timed relay circuit.

Investigators believe the Red Fort blast was a premature detonation, triggered while the car idled at a traffic signal near the Fort’s Lahori Gate. The explosion killed eight people instantly and left over a dozen injured. Early autopsy reports point to “blast wave trauma”—ruptured eardrums, collapsed lungs, and severe burns—as the cause of death in most cases.

A senior NIA officer told reporters on condition of anonymity that the blast “appears to have been intended as part of a larger operation scheduled for the Republic Day parade”, adding that surveillance footage from Delhi Gate and Chandni Chowk showed two other vehicles that may have been part of the same convoy.

Human toll, forensic trail

Families of the deceased are still grappling with the aftermath. Many victims were identified only through tattoos, jewellery, or DNA samples, as the explosion left bodies beyond recognition. Among the eight killed were an e-rickshaw driver, two vendors, and a software engineer commuting home from work.

Forensic experts from the CFSL (Central Forensic Science Laboratory) say they have recovered fragments of circuit boards, chemical residues and metallic casings consistent with an improvised explosive setup designed for remote triggering. Investigators are also analysing data from at least five mobile phones found at the site.

Political reactions, official response

Prime Minister Narendra Modi visited the injured at LNJP Hospital and met families of the victims, calling the incident “a reminder of the threats our nation continues to face”. Home Minister Amit Shah said “no possibility is being ruled out” and directed agencies to expand the investigation to other states.

Security has been stepped up across the National Capital Region, with checkpoints set up along key routes leading to Red Fort, Parliament Street, and Rajpath. Delhi Police Commissioner Sanjay Arora said the city was now on “heightened alert mode”, and that the agency was working closely with central intelligence inputs to track any remaining operatives.

What next

The timing of the attack—just weeks before Republic Day—has sparked concerns within security circles about sleeper cells attempting to mark symbolic national events with high-impact strikes. The discovery of references to “26/11-style coordination” in intercepted messages has deepened suspicions of a possible multi-target operation.

Officials have not yet disclosed the group affiliation of the suspects, but several of the recovered communications point to handlers based overseas. Interrogations of detained associates in Haryana and western Uttar Pradesh are expected to clarify whether the cell was self-radicalised or directed externally.

As the investigation continues, the NIA has urged the public to report any suspicious activity, abandoned vehicles, or online content hinting at radical propaganda. The agency has also requested telecom operators to preserve metadata from nearby towers to reconstruct communication chains in the hours leading up to the explosion.

With the blast site now cleared and evidence sealed, the focus of the probe has shifted to tracking financial trails and establishing whether the Red Fort explosion was a failed precursor to a much larger strike that could have targeted the Republic Day parade.