In a major update, the National Investigation Agency (NIA) has for the first time officially referred to Dr Umar Nabi, the Pulwama doctor killed in the November 10 Red Fort blast, as a “suicide bomber”. The agency is now aggressively hunting for his last two mobile phones – part of five SIM cards linked to him – to complete the digital trail of the JeM-linked attack that claimed 13 lives.
Missing Phones Hold the Key
All five SIMs were deactivated on October 30 – the same day Nabi’s close associate Dr Muzammil Shakeel Ganaie was arrested in Faridabad. Investigators believe the final two numbers were active till the blast and contain critical handler communication.
65-Camera Trail of a Restless Bomber
Analysis of 65 CCTV footages has reconstructed Nabi’s movements: • October 30 – Dhauj market medical store (800 m from Al-Falah University): Nabi seen with a black bag, charging one phone while tightly holding another. • November 10, 1:07 AM – Ferozepur Jhirka (Nuh): Hyundai i20 spotted at ATM; Nabi withdrew ₹76,000 in two transactions.
Eyewitness Accounts Paint Picture of Anxiety
- ATM guard Mohar Singh: “He said family emergency, looked impatient, items in back seat covered with bedsheet, tipped me ₹1,000.”
- Dhaba server Akram Khan: “Came alone every night, ate very fast, kept staring at the road as if waiting for someone, always tipped ₹100.”
The trail from Faridabad → Nuh → Delhi confirms a highly educated, “white-collar” JeM module. NIA continues raids and forensic examination to dismantle the network.