The death toll from the car explosion outside Delhi's Red Fort on November 10 has risen to 12 after a 50-year-old man succumbed to injuries. Another victim, a 73-year-old from Bihar, has been identified among the deceased. Police continue to trace the movements of suspect Umar Nabi, who drove the vehicle involved.
On November 10, an i20 car exploded near the Red Fort traffic signal in central Delhi at around 6:50 pm, killing 12 people in total. The latest victim was Vinay Pathak, a 50-year-old priest from Aya Nagar, who had been shopping in Chandni Chowk and was waiting for a cab when the blast occurred. He underwent multiple surgeries, including leg amputation, and died on Monday at Lok Nayak Hospital while on ventilator support. His son Anish said, “He was in a lot of pain after his leg was amputated and was struggling,” adding, “He lost his life without any reason.” Anish demanded strict action against those responsible, noting, “How can people lose their lives on an ordinary day while going about their routine work? Those involved must be punished.” Pathak is survived by his wife, two sons, and a sister.
Another identified victim was Luqman, a 73-year-old resident of Begusarai, Bihar, who had traveled to Chandni Chowk to buy artificial jewellery. His son Mohd Sikandar said Luqman was brought dead to the hospital and remained unidentified initially until informed via a call. “He was very fit and continued running his business with some help from us,” Sikandar recounted. “Our life has changed completely,” he added, noting the devastation to his mother, Shakeela Khatoon. Luqman is survived by his wife and three sons. Three body parts found at the site remain unidentified.
Delhi Police investigations reveal the car's driver, Umar Nabi, an assistant professor at Al Falah University in Faridabad, traveled approximately 150 km in seven hours on the day of the blast. Starting from the Badarpur Toll Plaza around 8 am after entering from Nuh, he refueled near Modi Mill, stopped briefly near Akshardham Temple and in Mayur Vihar, and took detours through areas like Nizamuddin, Kartavya Path, Connaught Place, Dhaula Kuan, Pitampura, and Jahangirpuri, where he had tea around 12:30 pm while wearing a black mask. He parked near Faiz-e-Ilahi Masjid at 2:17 pm, spent 15 minutes in the mosque, and waited in the Red Fort parking area from 3:29 pm before the explosion.
Police scanned over 1,000 CCTV cameras from 70 locations, taking a week to compile footage. Nabi bought the car on October 29 with aide Amir Rashid Ali, arrested by the NIA on Sunday. He stayed in Nuh from October 30 to November 9 amid raids by Jammu and Kashmir Police. Officers suspect multiple prior visits to Delhi for reconnaissance of crowded sites to maximize casualties.