Delhi Red Fort Blast Probe Reveals ‘Honey-Trap’ Link in Maharashtra; Mumbai and Solapur on High Alert

Mumbai | December 26, 2025 Mumbai and several districts in Maharashtra, along with adjoining states, have been placed on high alert following significant developments in the investigation into the November 10 Delhi Red Fort blast. The blast, linked to the banned terror group Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM), is being probed as part of a Pakistan-backed conspiracy. Investigators have identified two Maharashtra-based links connected to the blast — one in Mumbai and the other in Solapur — reportedly tied to romance-based entrapment or ‘honey-trap’ tactics. Security sources revealed that operatives of the Delhi terror module allegedly tried to use these women to establish operational contact through prolonged interactions on social media. Both women remained in regular digital contact with the suspect, raising red flags for investigators. The Solapur-based woman, in her early 40s and running a network marketing business, revealed that her first contact with Zameer Ahmad Ahangar, 29, occurred via social media in early 2025. Ahangar, presenting himself as an entrepreneur from Wakoora in Ganderbal, Jammu and Kashmir, initially discussed professional matters but gradually moved to subtle personal compliments and romantic overtures. The woman mostly ignored the advances but provided critical investigative leads. A similar case emerged in Mumbai, where a married woman in her mid-30s, running an online beauty products business, reported engagement with Ahangar from mid-July. Initially professional, the interactions later included subtle flirtations. Both women eventually avoided further contact, but the digital footprint helped agencies map operational networks. Investigators found that Ahangar functioned as a high-risk JeM overground operative, coordinating propaganda, recruitment, and weapons logistics across multiple states, including Kashmir, Delhi, Uttar Pradesh, Karnataka, Kolkata, and Chennai. In Srinagar, Ahangar was linked to JeM propaganda activities, radical posters, and the pre-Red Fort blast operation. He reportedly worked under Dr. Adil Ahmad Daar, coordinating logistics, money transfers, and weapons consignments with other accused, including Dr. Muzammil Ahmad Ganai and Mufti Irfan Ahmad Wagay. Security forces have recovered weapons, including an AK-56 rifle, from Anantnag Medical College, connected to the terror module. Ahangar also maintained encrypted communication networks on platforms like Telegram, managing recruitment, indoctrination, and coordination with foreign handlers. While Ahangar was earlier arrested by Jammu and Kashmir Police in a separate terror-module case, his role in the Delhi Red Fort blast is still being corroborated and legally examined. NIA is investigating his connections, but a formal arrest has not yet been made due to procedural and evidentiary checks. Authorities continue to scrutinize Ahangar’s network, examining how digital manipulation, social media engagement, and encrypted communications were used to plan and facilitate one of the most high-profile terror attacks in Delhi in recent years. Delhi Red Fort Blast Probe Reveals ‘Honey-Trap’ Link in Maharashtra; Mumbai and Solapur on High Alert Mumbai and parts of Maharashtra have been put on high alert following new developments in the investigation of the November 10 Delhi Red Fort blast, linked to the banned terror group Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM). Authorities uncovered connections in Mumbai and Solapur involving “honey-trap” tactics, where operatives allegedly used social media and romantic approaches to recruit or influence civilians. One key suspect, Zameer Ahmad Ahangar, 29, reportedly contacted a Solapur-based married woman through her network marketing business posts. He initially discussed professional topics but gradually moved to subtle compliments and hints of romantic interest. She mostly ignored him, but the interactions helped investigators trace his digital footprint. Similarly, a Mumbai-based woman running an online beauty business reported professional interactions that slowly blended with personal overtures from Ahangar. Both women eventually cut contact, but their digital exchanges provided crucial investigative leads. Security agencies identified Ahangar as a high-risk JeM overground worker who coordinated propaganda, recruitment, and weapons logistics across multiple states, including Kashmir, Delhi, Uttar Pradesh, Karnataka, and Maharashtra. He worked under Dr. Adil Ahmad Daar and was linked to Faridabad-based modules. Weapons, including an AK-56 rifle, were recovered from Anantnag Medical College during operations targeting the terror network. Ahangar maintained encrypted communications with other module members and foreign handlers, helping plan the Red Fort attack. While he was previously arrested in a separate terror case by Jammu and Kashmir Police, his connection to the Red Fort blast is still under verification. The National Investigation Agency (NIA) is investigating his network, examining how social media, manipulation, and digital contacts were used to execute one of Delhi’s major terror incidents. Authorities continue to monitor Maharashtra and adjoining regions closely to prevent further risks and to trace the full extent of the terror module’s network.