Daijiworld Media Network – New Delhi

New Delhi, Nov 18: A purported video of Umar Nabi — the man who drove the Hyundai i20 that exploded near the Red Fort on November 10 — has emerged on social media, in which he is heard speaking about “martyrdom operations” and “suicide bombing”.

In the 1-minute-20-second video, Umar is seen seated in a room, claiming that the idea of suicide bombing is widely misunderstood. “One of the most misunderstood concepts is the concept of suicide bombing… It is a martyrdom operation,” he says, adding that a person “certain to die” at a particular place and time challenges the presumption of death occurring only in specific circumstances.

Delhi Police said the video is being verified, with investigators suspecting Umar may have recorded it earlier and circulated it to his associates. The National Investigation Agency (NIA) and Delhi Police Special Cell are jointly probing the case.

Umar, who was working as an assistant professor in the general medicine department at Al Falah University in Faridabad, was identified through DNA samples matched with those of his mother. Investigators had earlier relied on crucial forensic evidence, including a charred portion of a leg near the accelerator and a black sports shoe found at the blast site, to establish that he was behind the wheel.

The NIA has arrested two of Umar’s close associates — Amir Rashid Ali of Pulwama and Kasir Bilal Vani alias Danish of Anantnag — in connection with the explosion. The Hyundai i20 used in the blast was registered in Ali’s name.

According to the agency, Amir had travelled to Delhi to facilitate the purchase of the vehicle, which was later converted into a vehicle-borne improvised explosive device (VBIED).