The DNA of the mother of Umar Nabi, the man suspected to be driving the Hyundai i20 that exploded near Red Fort, is being collected from Pulwama and will be matched with unidentified bodies lying at Lok Nayak Hospital in the national capital, official sources in Delhi have told The Indian Express. At Nabi’s village in Pulwama, his family and local officials confirmed that his mother had been taken away, ostensibly so her DNA sample could be collected. When The Indian Express visited his residence, only his sister-in-law was home.
The development is significant as the Jammu and Kashmir Police suspect Nabi to be the bomber and the person seen in CCTV footage driving the vehicle. Nabi hails from Koil village, which is also the hometown of Dr Muzammil Ahmad Ganai, who was arrested in Faridabad days earlier for alleged links to a terror module. Police had seized 358 kg of explosives suspected to be ammonium nitrate from Ganai’s rented home in Faridabad’s Dhauj village.
Both men were employed at Al Falah University’s School of Medical Sciences and Research Centre, officials say.
Investigators rely on DNA profiling in blast cases to identify suspects or victims when bodies are mutilated or unrecognisable. In this case, matching the DNA of Nabi’s mother with the unidentified bodies at Lok Nayak Hospital could confirm whether the suspect died in the explosion or remains at large.
J&K police sources have told The Indian Express that the explosion was likely carried out by the same “transnational and interstate” module busted in Faridabad.
Sources also told The Indian Express that police in J&K have detained at least five people from different villages of Pulwama for questioning since Monday night. They include Amir Rashid, a resident of Samboora village of Pulwama, who is allegedly the car’s current owner. His brother has also been picked up by the police for questioning, sources said, as have three other men from the area.
