CCTV captures masked suspect driving i20 through Badarpur toll plaza hours before Delhi blast

The car, reportedly driven by Dr Umar Mohammad, the suspected suicide bomber, was captured passing through the Badarpur toll plaza at 8:13 a.m. — just hours before it detonated near Red Fort, killing nine people and injuring over 20 others.

Final journey: From Faridabad to Red Fort

According to investigators, the white Hyundai i20 was first seen near Asian Hospital in Faridabad around 7:30 am.

The car then crossed the Badarpur toll plaza, which marks the border between Haryana and Delhi, around 8:13 am, before appearing in Okhla just seven minutes later.

CCTV footage from the toll plaza shows Dr Umar wearing a mask, collecting a toll receipt, and driving calmly toward Delhi.

This footage has become a critical piece of evidence in reconstructing the bomber’s route.

Police sources said the car reached the Red Fort area by early afternoon and was parked near the monument at 3:19 pm.

It remained stationary for over three hours, with no signs of the driver stepping out. Investigators believe Dr Umar stayed inside the vehicle the entire time, possibly fearing that the explosives hidden inside could be discovered.

At 6:30 pm, the car left the parking lot. Just 22 minutes later, at 6:52 pm, it exploded on Netaji Subhash Marg, near the Red Fort Metro station, in the midst of evening traffic.

The explosion’s impact was devastating — the car was blown apart, debris was scattered across the road, and nine nearby vehicles, including six cars and two e-rickshaws, were either burnt or severely damaged.

Witnesses described a massive fireball that engulfed the area, shattering windows and triggering panic across the crowded stretch.

Digital trail and key evidence

Investigators have pieced together multiple CCTV visuals showing Dr Umar’s movements between Faridabad and Delhi.

The visuals, along with newly surfaced videos showing three men obtaining a Pollution Under Control (PUC) certificate for the same Hyundai i20 on October 29, have strengthened the timeline of events leading up to the blast.

According to officials, this evidence indicates a meticulously planned operation, with multiple individuals involved in maintaining, transporting, and disguising the car before its use in the explosion.

NIA steps in

The National Investigation Agency (NIA) has formally taken over the probe into the Red Fort blast.

The decision came after it became clear that the bombing was linked to a terror module operating across multiple states, with potential connections to Pakistan-based Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM).

Dr Umar, the main suspect, worked as a senior doctor at Al Falah University in Faridabad. Two of his colleagues — Dr Muzammil Shakeel and Dr Shaheen Shahid — were arrested earlier this week in connection with a massive seizure of 2,900 kg of explosive materials, as well as arms and ammunition.

Explosives and weapons recovered in Faridabad

In coordinated raids last weekend, investigators recovered 2,900 kg of bomb-making chemicals, including ammonium nitrate, potassium nitrate, and sulphur, from two rented rooms in Faridabad registered under Dr Muzammil’s name. These substances are believed to be identical to those used in the Red Fort explosion.

Meanwhile, Dr Shaheen Shahid, who was arrested in Lucknow, was found with assault rifles and ammunition hidden in her car.

According to intelligence reports, she was allegedly responsible for establishing the “women’s wing” of the Jaish-e-Mohammad network in India — a group suspected of radicalising educated professionals and coordinating logistics through encrypted online channels.

Both Shakeel and Shahid are now considered prime suspects in the Delhi bombing case.

'White-collar' terror network

The revelation that multiple doctors were involved in the terror plot has stunned investigators and the public alike.

All three accused — Umar, Muzammil, and Shahid — had respectable academic backgrounds and were employed in medical institutions.

Authorities now believe they were part of a “white-collar terror ecosystem”, where educated individuals used their positions and professional cover to plan and finance extremist operations.

Officials said the group used encrypted apps such as Telegram and Signal to communicate and move funds under the pretext of charitable medical initiatives.

Their aim, investigators allege, was to build an urban network of educated operatives capable of executing high-impact attacks.

Timeline of 10/11

7:30 am: Hyundai i20 spotted near Asian Hospital, Faridabad.

8:13 am: Car passes through Badarpur toll plaza; Dr Umar was seen masked.

8:20 am: Vehicle appears in Okhla surveillance cameras.

3:19 pm: i20 parked near Red Fort; driver remains inside.

6:30 pm: Car leaves the parking area.

6:52 pm: Explosion on Netaji Subhash Marg kills at least nine, injures over 20.