Delhi Blast Probe: Key Co-Conspirator Trained as Suicide Bomber by Umar Nabi Before Backing Out

New Delhi: The National Investigation Agency (NIA) has revealed that Jasir Bilal Wani, also known as Danish, who was arrested in connection with the Delhi Red Fort blast, was originally being groomed to become a suicide bomber by the alleged mastermind, Dr Umar Nabi. Wani, however, backed out of the plan citing economic hardship and his belief that suicide was forbidden in Islam.

Wani, a resident of Qazigund in Jammu and Kashmir’s Anantnag, was produced before Delhi’s Patiala House Court on Tuesday and remanded to 10 days of NIA custody.

Technical Role in the Terror Plot

According to investigators, Wani was providing technical support to the terror module. He was attempting to learn drone and rocket modification and had joined multiple encrypted private chat groups to gain the required knowledge.

Sources said that he regularly received videos on drone alterations through Telegram and other encrypted platforms. His online activity also showed deep interest in Russia–Ukraine drone warfare and the Hamas–Israel conflict, suggesting exposure to advanced militant tactics.

Intense Radicalisation Attempt

NIA officials stated that Wani, a bachelor’s degree holder in political science, was heavily brainwashed for months by Umar Nabi. While some module members wanted him to act as an over-ground worker (OGW) for Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM), Nabi attempted to convince him to carry out a suicide attack.

The suicide mission reportedly collapsed in April after Wani refused.

Second Key Arrest in the Case

Wani is the second arrest in the Delhi blast investigation. NIA had earlier arrested Amir Rashid Ali, a close associate of Umar Nabi. Ali allegedly provided shelter to the bomber and arranged logistics. The explosive-loaded Hyundai i20 used in the blast was registered in his name.

The Blast and Umar Nabi’s Role

A slow-moving Hyundai i20 exploded near Delhi’s Red Fort last week, killing 15 people. DNA analysis confirmed that the car was being driven by Dr Umar Nabi, a 28-year-old doctor from Pulwama believed to be the central figure in a terrorist network active across Kashmir, Haryana, and Uttar Pradesh.

The blast occurred just hours after authorities busted a “white-collar terror module” in Haryana’s Faridabad, where 2,900 kg of explosives were seized and three doctors arrested.

The investigation is ongoing, with agencies probing the module’s broader network, international links, and funding channels.