Sanjay Pandita
Early Times Report
Jammu, Nov 18: In a stunning breakthrough, security agencies claim to have averted multiple drone terror strikes across India after arresting the second mastermind behind the Red Fort blast—an accused who was allegedly converting off-the-shelf drones into deadly airborne weapons.
The National Investigation Agency (NIA) on Monday arrested Jasir Bilal Wani alias “Danish” from Kashmir, barely 24 hours after capturing Amir Rashid Rather in New Delhi.
Top intelligence sources say Jasir was no ordinary tech enthusiast—he was reportedly modifying drones, experimenting with rocket-making, and proposing coordinated aerial attacks across various cities.
Investigators now believe that instead of turning into a suicide bomber like Dr. Umar Nabi, Jasir had pitched an alternative assault plan: simultaneous drone strikes across India.
NIA sources revealed that Jasir, a resident of Qazigund in Anantnag, allegedly served as the technical brain of the module—providing engineering support, drone modifications, and machinery upgrades used to execute the November 10 Red Fort car bomb blast that claimed 13 lives and injured 25 others.
His arrest has sent shockwaves through the intelligence community, which is now scrambling to determine whether he had already prepared drone-based IEDs or passed on designs to other operatives.
The big question:Was India on the brink of a series of drone bombings?
Jasir’s arrest comes shortly after the shocking detention of 38-year-old Assistant Professor Dr. Umar Un Nabi, identified as the suicide bomber who detonated the vehicle outside Red Fort. Investigators believe Umar may have been part of a growing network of “highly educated professionals” secretly aiding terror outfits—a trend NIA officials internally call “Doctors with Bombs.”
A second vehicle owned by Umar is now being examined for hidden communication systems and explosive remnants.
The arrest of co-accused Amir Rashid Ali—picked up after a nationwide manhunt—further exposes the precision of the operation. The explosive-laden white sedan used in the blast was registered in Amir’s name. He allegedly travelled to Delhi solely to buy the car, hand it over to Umar, and disappear.
NIA officials landed in Srinagar on Monday morning to expand the probe, which they believe is unravelling one of the most technically advanced terror modules busted in recent years.
The agency has so far recorded statements from 73 witnesses, including survivors who described scenes of “fire, metal, and chaos” at the historic Red Fort. Forensic teams are working round-the-clock, and intelligence agencies warn that more arrests may follow.
With the discovery of modified drones, rocket prototypes, and the involvement of educated professionals, investigators suspect that the Red Fort blast may have been only the first phase of a much larger terror blueprint.
And now, with the mastermind duo behind bars, the country braces for revelations that could reshape its understanding of modern, tech-driven terrorism. |
