Hours before Delhi Red Fort blast, Umar Nabi seen near mosque close to Ramlila Maidan

Fresh CCTV footage from the day of the blast near the Red Fort has surfaced, showing prime suspect Dr Umar Nabi entering Delhi through the Badarpur border toll plaza and later walking near a mosque close to the Ramlila Maidan, police said on Thursday.

In the footage from the Badarpur toll plaza, Umar can be seen driving a white Hyundai i20 car and stopping at the toll gate around 8.02 am on November 10, the day of the explosion. The car pauses briefly as Umar takes out cash and hands it to the toll operator before proceeding.

Investigators said Umar, who was wearing a mask, repeatedly looked toward the CCTV camera — apparently aware that security agencies were on his trail.

A large bag can also be seen placed on the back seat of the car, believed to have contained explosives, a senior police officer said.

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“His repeated glances toward the CCTV camera suggest that he knew the agencies were looking for him, and he was consciously monitoring his surroundings,” the officer added.

Later that day, another CCTV clip from a lane near a mosque close to the Ramlila Maidan shows Umar walking along a narrow stretch before briefly turning his head — the moment his face is clearly captured on camera. Police suspect that he visited the mosque to offer prayers before proceeding toward Red Fort.

A massive blast rocked the national capital on Monday evening when the same Hyundai i20 car exploded near the Red Fort at 6.52 pm, killing 13 people and injuring several others. The impact of the explosion damaged several nearby vehicles and scattered debris across the road.

Officials said Umar was seen in multiple CCTV clips across Delhi on the day of the incident, including one from the Sunehri Masjid parking lot near the Red Fort, where he arrived at 3.19 PM and left at 6.28 PM, just 24 minutes before the explosion.

Forensic teams have collected over 40 samples from the blast site, including mangled remains of the vehicle and human body parts, while a special team of experts has been constituted to analyse the material and determine the type of explosives used.

Police said efforts are underway to trace Umar’s possible handlers and reconstruct his movements throughout the day to determine whether he had any accomplices.