The National Investigation Agency (NIA) has apprehended Jasir Bilal Wani, an alleged co-conspirator of suicide bomber Umar un Nabi, in connection with the devastating car blast near the Red Fort that claimed 13 lives on November 10. The arrest took place in Srinagar and marks a significant development in the ongoing investigation into this tragic incident.
Wani, a resident of Qazigund in Anantnag district of Jammu and Kashmir, has come under scrutiny for his role in providing technical support for terror operations. His alleged involvement included modifying drones and attempting to fabricate rockets. The NIA has labeled Wani as an active participant in planning the attack, working closely with Umar.
As the agency intensifies its investigation, officials are exploring various dimensions of the conspiracy. Multiple teams are tracking leads and conducting searches across states to identify all individuals linked to this terror plot. This expansion of the probe highlights ongoing concerns about the broader network behind the explosion.
Wani holds a political science degree and previously stated during interrogation that Umar had thoroughly radicalized him over several months. He described how he met a group referred to as the “Doctor module” in October of last year at a mosque in Kulgam. Subsequently, he was sheltered in a rented accommodation near Al Falah University in Faridabad, Haryana.
The module initially aimed to recruit Wani as an over-ground worker (OGW) for the banned Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM). However, Umar attempted to push him into planning a suicide attack. Wani eventually backed out in April, citing economic hardship and moral concerns regarding such actions in Islam.
This turn of events adds another layer of danger to the investigation, revealing a sophisticated interstate terror network linked to Jaish-e-Mohammed, as authorities believe Umar was preparing for a significant vehicle-borne improvised explosive device (VBIED) attack.
Umar, now identified as a 28-year-old Pulwama-based doctor, has emerged as a central figure in a network stretching across Kashmir, Haryana, and Uttar Pradesh. Officials suspect that he aimed to execute an attack timed around the December 6 anniversary of the Babri Masjid demolition, targeting crowded areas in Delhi or religious sites for maximum impact.
Wani’s earlier interrogations revealed that Umar’s radical views intensified after a trip to Turkiye in 2021 with co-accused Dr. Muzammil Ahmad Ganaie. It was during this trip that they allegedly encountered JeM operatives. Following their return, Umar and Ganaie began purchasing large quantities of chemicals, like 360 kg of ammonium nitrate, potassium nitrate, and sulphur, much of which was stored near the university campus.
The plan for a December attack disintegrated when Srinagar Police arrested Ganaie and recovered the explosives, which prompted panic among those involved. Investigators connect these events directly to the premature Red Fort blast and the resulting casualties.
Authorities first began unraveling the interstate network on October 19, when JeM posters emerged on walls in Bunpora and Nowgam near Srinagar. Police swiftly registered a case, analyzed CCTV footage, and detained three locals with previous stone-pelting records—Arif Nisar Dar (alias Sahil), Yasir-ul-Ashraf, and Maqsood Ahmad Dar (alias Shahid).
The interrogation of these individuals led to the arrest of Maulvi Irfan Ahmad, a former paramedic-turned-Imam from Shopian. Ahmad allegedly supplied the JeM posters and played a critical role in radicalizing the doctors involved in this terror module.
