Red Fort blast: Delhi Police intensifies social media, CCTV surveillance

Red Fort blast: Police have intensified digital surveillance and are keeping a vigil on various social media platforms to monitor conversations, reactions and potential leads linked to the Red Fort blast, police sources said on Friday.

Multiple specialised teams have been deployed round-the-clock to scan public posts, comments, videos and online discussions to detect any hint of radicalisation, misinformation, provocation or suspicious online activity emerging after the blast, said a source.

A senior police officer said that inputs gathered from social media monitoring units will be immediately relayed to field units and teams for verification and necessary action.

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“Dedicated teams are assessing what people are posting or discussing online. Any suspicious activity or potential lead related to the blast will be flagged without delay,” the officer said.

Senior officers have directed all district police units to maintain heightened alertness and closely examine CCTV footage across the city. All station-level officers have been instructed to review camera feeds around markets, transit corridors, border points and sensitive installations and to promptly report any suspicious movement or activity to the control room.

“CCTV surveillance and social media monitoring are being undertaken simultaneously to ensure no clue is missed,” said the officer, adding that patrols and picket deployment have also been increased.

Probe agencies explore the possibility of coordinated attacks planned across four Indian cities by what they describe as an interstate ‘white-collar terror module’.

The car bomb blast near the Red Fort on Monday night killed 13 people and left several injured.

Investigators have pieced together the last movements of Dr Umar Nabi, the main suspect who drove the explosive-laden Hyundai i20, using over 50 CCTV cameras.

Police said that Dr Umar Nabi, along with two associates — Dr Muzammil Ahmad Ganaie and Dr Shaheen Shahid — allegedly used encrypted apps. The three had purportedly pooled more than Rs 26 lakh in cash and purchased around 26 quintals of NPK fertiliser for manufacturing improvised explosive devices.