One car bomb slips past Delhi security; massive Jaish-e-Mohammad plot foiled in time.
A deafening explosion ripped through the quiet of a November evening near the Red Fort Metro station in New Delhi, shattering vehicles and lives in an instant. At precisely 6:52 p.m. on November 10, 2025, a silver Hyundai i20 burst into flames, sending a plume of fire and smoke over the historic precinct. Thirteen people lost their lives, and twenty-four were injuredโsix of them clinging to life in critical condition. The capital, accustomed to its high-security blanket, was shaken by what officials have now confirmed as a deliberate act of terrorโone attack that managed to slip through an otherwise tightened web of surveillance and counterintelligence.
Just hours before the blast, a joint operation between Jammu & Kashmir Police and the Haryana Special Task Force thwarted what could have been one of the most devastating terror strikes on Indian soil since the Mumbai attacks of 2008. Acting on intelligence, the teams raided a house in Dhauj village near Faridabad, uncovering 360 kilograms of live explosives, two AK-series rifles, and sixty-four timing devices. Across coordinated raids in multiple states, authorities seized an astonishing total of nearly 2,900 kilograms of improvised explosive materials along with arms and ammunitionโan arsenal primed for a citywide assault.
The plot, investigators reveal, was masterminded by a medical network turned militant module linked to the banned Jaish-e-Mohammad outfit. Those taken into custody include Dr. Muzammil Shakeel of Pulwama, Dr. Adil Ahmad Rather of Kulgam, and Dr. Shaheen Shahid from Anantnag. An AK rifle was recovered from Dr. Shaheenโs vehicle. Five others, among them an imam from Shopian and several over-ground workers from south Kashmir, were also apprehended. Yet one carโthe silver i20 that would erupt outside Red Fortโescaped detection.
The vehicle was registered to Dr. Tariq, another physician from Pulwama, who allegedly handed it to a man named Umar, part of the same terror cell. Police suspect Umar perished in the explosion, though forensic teams are still verifying his remains. The chemical fingerprint of the blast matches the explosive cache seized earlier, confirming that the detonation was part of the larger foiled conspiracy to unleash multiple IED attacks across Delhi.
As investigators sift through the wreckage, Delhi Police have invoked the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) ActโSections 16 and 18โalong with provisions of the Explosive Substances Act and charges of murder and attempted murder. The Red Fort attack, now officially labeled a terror act, has triggered a citywide alert, with security forces combing potential safe houses and transport hubs.
Meanwhile, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, after being briefed on the situation, proceeded with his pre-scheduled state visit to Bhutan on November 11 to mark the 70th birth anniversary of the Fourth King. The visit includes inaugurating the 1,020 MW Punatsangchhu-II Hydroelectric Project and participating in the Global Peace Prayer Festivalโan event that now carries an undercurrent of solemn resolve as India mourns its dead and fortifies its defenses.
In the capital, blackened cars and shattered glass remain grim reminders of how close the city came to catastrophe. Were it not for the swift coordination between J&K Police, Haryana STF, and national intelligence agencies, Delhi might have witnessed a night of unparalleled destruction. The Red Fort blast stands as both tragedy and warningโproof of the one vehicle that eluded capture, and of countless lives that were spared because so many others did not.
November 11, 2025
