Deadly Red Fort blast triggers sharp probe into car’s final trail

The investigation into the Red Fort blast that killed nine persons has zeroed in on a Hyundai i20 traced to a 34-year-old Pulwama resident who bought the vehicle on October 29, just days before it was used in the attack.

Police began retracing the car’s ownership after questioning a former Gurgaon owner who confirmed he had already sold it. The ensuing verification with the Regional Transport Office revealed multiple transfers before the vehicle reached Pulwama.

CCTV footage has emerged as the central breakthrough. The i20 is seen entering a parking lot beside the Red Fort at 3:19 pm and staying for over three hours before exiting at 6:48 pm on November 10 — shortly before the fatal explosion. Cameras later captured the vehicle across Darya Ganj, the Red Fort zone, Kashmere Gate, and near Sunehri Masjid.

Footage from the parking lot shows a lone driver collecting what appears to be a parking slip. Though early briefings suggested multiple occupants, investigators are still assessing whether others joined later.

Teams from the Special Cell, Crime Branch, and the National Investigation Agency are mapping the car’s full movement using CCTV from highways, arterial roads, and toll barriers. A senior officer said they are reconstructing “every kilometre” of the vehicle’s route before it reached the blast site.

The explosion came a day after Jammu and Kashmir Police recovered nearly 350 kg of explosives from two homes in Faridabad. Investigators are examining whether the two events share any operational linkage.