Delhi Blast Accused Had Ideological Rift With Co-Conspirator, Skipped His Wedding: Sources

New Delhi | Nov 23, 2025 Sources have revealed new details about Umar-un-Nabi, the man who drove the Hyundai i20 that exploded near Delhi’s Red Fort on November 10, killing 15 people and injuring many others. According to investigators, Umar had been growing distant from one of his key associates, Adeel Ahmed Rather, due to disagreements over ideology and the financial planning behind the attack. This tension was so deep that Umar even chose to skip Adeel’s wedding in Jammu and Kashmir earlier this year. Umar, a Kashmiri doctor associated with Al-Falah University in Faridabad, reportedly aligned himself with the ideology of ISIS, while Adeel and several others in the group leaned toward al-Qaeda. Although both groups stem from the same extremist roots, their beliefs around strategy, goals, and timelines for establishing a caliphate differ sharply. These ideological clashes created friction among the members of the so-called “white-collar” terror module involved in the Delhi blast. In October, Umar travelled to Qazigund in Jammu and Kashmir to ease tensions with the other members, as they were planning a series of coordinated explosions. However, the disagreements resurfaced when questions were raised about the money being handled for the operation. Umar had been given around ₹26 lakh for arranging explosives and logistics, but he became upset when asked to explain how the funds were spent. Investigators say that although Umar contributed ₹2 lakh himself, others made larger contributions — Adeel pitched in ₹8 lakh, while two other accused, Shaheen Saeed and Muzammil Shakeel, added ₹5 lakh each. Adeel’s brother, Muzaffar Ahmed Rather, now believed to have fled the country, added another ₹6 lakh. On the day of the blast, Umar initially intended to detonate the explosives near the Red Fort parking lot, a busy spot usually filled with visitors. But he panicked after hearing that two associates — Shaheen Saeed and Muzammil Shakeel — had been arrested as part of a widening probe into the terror module. He also did not realise that the Red Fort remains closed on Mondays, and when he spotted the empty area, he waited inside the parking lot for nearly three hours. Eventually, he left the area and triggered the explosion near a traffic signal close to the Red Fort Metro Station. Just hours before the blast, Jammu and Kashmir Police had announced that they had cracked a transnational terror network linked to Pakistan-based groups Jaish-e-Mohammed and Ansar Ghazwat-ul-Hind, an al-Qaeda affiliate. The police also reported seizing nearly 2,900 kilograms of explosive material, including ammonium nitrate, which investigators believe was used in the Delhi explosion. The new information provided by sources highlights the internal disagreements, financial disputes, and ideological conflicts within the group, all of which shaped the events leading up to the deadly blast. Authorities continue to piece together the larger network, while multiple arrests and interrogations are underway to understand the full scale of the conspiracy. Delhi Blast Accused Had Ideological Rift With Co-Conspirator, Skipped His Wedding: Sources New details are emerging about Umar-un-Nabi, the accused who drove the car that exploded near Delhi’s Red Fort, killing 15 people. Investigators say he had growing disagreements with co-accused Adeel Ahmed Rather, not just about money but also about ideology. Umar reportedly leaned toward ISIS, while Adeel and others followed al-Qaeda’s beliefs, creating tension within the group. The rift grew so wide that Umar chose not to attend Adeel’s wedding earlier this year. Sources say Umar later travelled to Jammu and Kashmir in an attempt to patch things up, as the group was planning multiple blasts. But disputes over the ₹26 lakh handed to Umar for explosives and logistics added more stress. Each member had contributed funds, and Umar was reportedly unhappy when asked to account for his spending. On the day of the blast, Umar initially planned to detonate the car in the Red Fort parking area but panicked after two associates were arrested. Finding the area empty due to the Monday closure, he waited for hours before eventually triggering the explosion near a traffic signal close to the Red Fort Metro Station.