Purported video shows Umar Nabi calling suicide bombing ‘misunderstood’ amid Red Fort blast probe

A purported video of Umar Nabi — the man investigators say was behind the wheel of the Hyundai i20 that exploded near Delhi’s Red Fort on November 10 — has surfaced online, featuring him defending “martyrdom operations” and calling suicide bombing a “misunderstood concept”.

In the 1-minute-20-second clip, Umar is seen seated on a chair in a sparsely furnished room, speaking directly into the camera. He argues that what the world calls suicide bombing is, in his words, a “martyrdom operation”. “One of the most misunderstood concepts is the concept of suicide bombing… It is a martyrdom operation. When a person assumes that he is certain to die at a particular place and time, he goes against the presumption that he will die in a specific situation,” he says.

The video has been circulating widely across social media platforms, but the Delhi Police said they are still verifying its authenticity. Investigators suspect Umar may have recorded it shortly before the blast and shared it with his associates.

The National Investigation Agency (NIA) and the Delhi Police Special Cell, jointly probing the explosion, have said forensic evidence has firmly linked Umar to the car at the time of the detonation. DNA samples collected from his mother matched biological traces found at the scene. Investigators had earlier identified a charred section of a leg near the accelerator and a black sports shoe by the wreckage as key clues.

Umar, formerly an assistant professor in the general medicine department at Al Falah University in Faridabad, has also been connected to two alleged associates now under arrest — Amir Rashid Ali of Pulwama and Kasir Bilal Vani alias Danish of Anantnag.

According to the NIA, the Hyundai i20 used in the explosion was registered in Amir’s name. “Amir had come to Delhi to facilitate the purchase of the car, which was eventually used as a vehicle-borne Improvised Explosive Device to trigger the blast,” the agency’s spokesperson said.

The investigation continues to focus on the possibility of a coordinated plot, with agencies analysing digital trails, communications, and any additional video or material Umar may have shared ahead of the attack.