Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Friday said the blast near the Red Fort in Delhi last month involved 40 kilograms of explosives, while nearly three tonnes of explosive material were recovered before they could be detonated. Shah made the remarks while inaugurating the two-day Anti-Terrorism Conference-2025, organised by the National Investigation Agency.
Reiterating the Centre’s zero-tolerance policy towards terrorism, Shah praised the role played by the Jammu and Kashmir Police and central agencies in dismantling the terror network behind the Delhi attack. He said the scale of the planned violence underscored the seriousness of the threat, but credited coordinated intelligence and swift action for preventing a much bigger catastrophe.
“The investigation of this entire network was carried out very effectively by all our agencies. The investigations into the Pahalgam and Delhi blast cases are not examples of routine policing, but outstanding instances of watertight investigation,” Shah said. He added that the cases highlighted how constant vigilance by officers on the ground could save the country from major crises.
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9 associates of main accused arrested by NIA
The blast near the Red Fort on November 10 claimed 15 lives and left several others injured. Shah said that so far, nine people linked to Dr Umar-un-Nabi, who allegedly drove the vehicle used in the attack, have been arrested by the NIA. According to him, the entire group involved in planning and executing the conspiracy was identified and apprehended in a timely manner.
Shah also referred to the terror attack in the Baisaran Valley near Pahalgam, describing it as an attempt to derail Kashmir’s improving security situation and damage communal harmony as well as tourism. “Through this attack, the terrorists wanted to disrupt communal harmony in the country and deliver a blow to the new era of development and tourism that has begun in Kashmir,” he said.
‘Pahalgam attackers punished through Op Sindoor’
Shah further said the response to the Pahalgam attack sent a clear message beyond India’s borders. Acting on precise intelligence inputs, security forces neutralised all three terrorists involved. “This is the first terrorist incident in which those who planned the terrorist act were punished through Operation Sindoor and those who carried out the act with the weapons provided to them were neutralised through Operation Mahadev,” Shah said. He added that the Centre, the security forces and the people of India had together delivered a strong and befitting response to Pakistan.
According to Shah, the investigation into the Pahalgam attack has been completed and is robust enough to withstand international scrutiny. “Our team has conducted a complete and successful investigation of the Pahalgam terrorist attack, which agencies around the world will study in the coming days. The results of the investigation will put Pakistan in the dock on international platforms,” he said.
360-degree crackdown on organised crime
The Home Minister also called on Directors General of Police across states to move ahead with “trial-in-absentia” proceedings against terror accused who have fled the country. He said such steps should be taken without fear of controversy, as they would increase pressure on fugitives to return and face trial. “All central agencies, together with the state police, should form a ‘Team India’ that works effectively for national security,” Shah said.
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Shah warned that as India emerges as the world’s fourth-largest economy and expands its strategic footprint in the Indian Ocean region, security challenges would grow proportionately. “Secure borders start miles inward,” he said, stressing the need for multi-layered security grids to counter cyber warfare, economic misuse and hybrid forms of terrorism. He also announced an upcoming 360-degree crackdown on organised crime networks that use extortion and ransom proceeds to finance terror activities.
During the conference, Shah launched three key initiatives aimed at strengthening India’s counter-terror architecture: an updated NIA crime manual, the Organised Crime Network Database and the Lost, Looted and Recovered Weapon Database. He said the new platforms would help analyse terrorist incidents globally and enhance India’s capacity to respond to evolving, technology-driven threats. |
