Delhi Police launch massive hunt for red EcoSport SUV, possibly linked to Red Fort blast

The alert has been circulated to all police stations, border checkpoints, and posts across the National Capital Region (NCR), as investigators tighten the net around a widening terror network.

According to highly placed sources, the alert was triggered after investigators uncovered evidence suggesting that other suspects linked to the Hyundai i20 used in Monday’s explosion were also in possession of another red Ford EcoSport believed to have been used for reconnaissance and logistical movements ahead of the attack.

Search intensifies across Delhi, Haryana, UP

At least five special teams of Delhi Police have been deployed to track down the missing vehicle, with parallel efforts by the Uttar Pradesh and Haryana Police, who have been instructed to maintain high alert levels and assist in the inter-state search operations.

“All police posts, border checkpoints, and patrol units have been instructed to identify and intercept the red EcoSport if spotted. The vehicle’s details have been shared with all traffic control rooms and highway surveillance units,” a senior police official said.

Security has also been tightened at Delhi’s entry and exit points, with enhanced checking of vehicles resembling the one under suspicion.

Vehicle linked to prime suspect Umar Nabi

Investigators have confirmed that the red Ford EcoSport is registered in the name of Dr Umar Un Nabi, the prime suspect in the Red Fort blast case, who is believed to have died in the explosion.

The car’s registration number is DL10CK0458, and it is a Ford EcoSport 1.5(D) Titanium MT model in Race Red colour, according to sources.

Registration records show that the vehicle was registered at Rajouri Garden, Delhi, and that its RC and insurance are currently active.

The information has been shared across border units and state police networks for immediate identification.

Fake address and suspicious purchase trail

Sources have revealed that the vehicle was purchased using a fake address provided by Dr Umar Nabi. During registration, Nabi reportedly gave the address of a residence in North-East Delhi, which investigators later found to be fictitious.

A late-night raid was conducted at the mentioned address, but no trace of the car or other suspects was found.

Preliminary findings suggest that the car may have been used by Nabi for surveillance and reconnaissance of potential targets in Delhi before the blast near the Red Fort.

Investigators believe the EcoSport may have transported explosives or acted as a backup vehicle in the planned 26/11-style multiple-attack plot uncovered earlier this week.

Coordinated efforts underway

The National Investigation Agency (NIA), which is leading the broader probe into the Red Fort blast, is coordinating with Delhi Police and state agencies in tracing the vehicle’s movements.

Investigators are now examining toll booth data, CCTV footage, and automatic number plate recognition (ANPR) systems across NCR highways.

“Given that the car is registered in the name of the key suspect, locating it could provide crucial leads about the broader network and logistics behind the Delhi blast,” an NIA official said on condition of anonymity.

A city on edge

The Red Fort blast, which took place on Monday evening around 6:51 pm, was part of a larger terror conspiracy modelled on the 26/11 Mumbai attacks, officials have said.

Nine people were killed when an explosives-laden Hyundai i20 detonated in slow-moving traffic near the Red Fort Metro Station.

The attack has prompted one of the largest security crackdowns in Delhi in recent years.

The discovery of the EcoSport’s link to the case has now deepened suspicions that the terror module had multiple vehicles, hideouts, and handlers operating across Delhi, Haryana, and Jammu and Kashmir.

As the manhunt intensifies, police have urged citizens to remain vigilant and report any sighting of a red Ford EcoSport (DL10CK0458) immediately to the authorities.