Red Fort blast: ‘How to Become an Assassin’, ‘44 Ways to Support Jihad’ — NIA recovers ‘extremist literature’

NIA Chargesheet Details Alleged Extremist Material in Red Fort Blast Case

Theindiapostdaily.com – The National Investigation Agency has outlined an alleged network of radicalisation, encrypted communication and bomb-making preparations in its chargesheet on the November 10, 2025 car explosion near Delhi’s Red Fort. Eleven people were killed and 29 others were injured in the blast, which occurred at about 6:50 pm and also damaged nearby vehicles and property.

Investigators describe the case as more than an isolated attack. The chargesheet alleges that the explosion emerged from a broader plan to revive an Ansar Ghazwat-ul-Hind, or AGuH, module and prepare terrorist operations across Jammu and Kashmir and the Delhi-NCR region.

Manuals and extremist publications

A central item cited in the investigation is the Lone Mujahid Pocket Book, also known as How to Become an Assassin. The NIA has linked the manual to Al-Qaida in the Arabian Peninsula, or AQAP.

The document allegedly contained operational material on explosives, weapons, covert travel, surveillance, concealment and escape. It also dealt with improvised explosive devices and techniques for remote-controlled detonation. The chargesheet refers to instructions involving TATP, a highly unstable explosive compound, as well as combat and clandestine activity.

The manual was among material that investigators say was accessed and circulated by people connected to the alleged terror module. Other documents named in the chargesheet included Definition of Jihad, The Requirements of Jihad, The 21 Aims and Objectives of Jihad, 39 Ways to Serve and Participate in Jihad and 44 Ways to Support Jihad.

The agency alleges that the literature promoted extremist ideology, sought to rationalise armed violence and encouraged involvement in extremist activities. Its inclusion in the chargesheet is intended to show the alleged ideological and operational framework behind the conspiracy.

Alleged role of Umer Un Nabi

Umer Un Nabi, also known as Pinda and Rahul Bhat, has been identified in the chargesheet as the alleged mastermind and operational in-charge of the revived AGuH network. Nabi died in the November 2025 blast while inside the vehicle involved in the explosion.

The NIA characterises the group as AGuH Interim, describing it as a renewed form of Ansar Ghazwat-ul-Hind associated with the ideology of Al-Qaida in the Indian Sub-continent. Investigators allege that efforts to reactivate the dormant module began in early 2022.

Nabi is accused of playing a major part in rebuilding the group, influencing recruits and circulating propaganda that glorified “Shahadat”, or martyrdom. The chargesheet also cites an alleged plan by him to travel to Afghanistan for “Hijrat”.

“Shahadat”

The investigation further alleges that members of the group met secretly in Jammu and Kashmir and Delhi-NCR while planning their activities. Such meetings, the NIA contends, formed part of a sustained conspiracy rather than a single spontaneous act.

Encrypted communication and alleged preparations

Signal was among the encrypted messaging platforms allegedly used by the accused. The chargesheet says encrypted communication enabled regular contact and helped members coordinate with one another while reducing the visibility of their exchanges.

The NIA has also alleged that the group worked on arranging funds, acquiring illegal weapons and identifying locations needed for its operations. These claims are significant because they describe the alleged infrastructure behind an attack: ideology, recruitment, communication, financing, logistics and the assembly of explosive capability.

For investigators, the recovery of digital and printed extremist material is relevant not merely as evidence of beliefs but as part of the alleged preparation process. The chargesheet presents the publications alongside claims of recruitment, clandestine meetings and procurement activity.

Vehicle treated as an explosive device

The car that exploded near the Red Fort has been described by the NIA as a Vehicle-Borne Improvised Explosive Device, commonly shortened to VBIED. The chargesheet states that Nabi was inside it when the blast took place.

DNA testing of biological material recovered from the scene allegedly established his identity. Post-blast forensic work detected residues including TATP and ammonium nitrate, the chargesheet says. Vehicle fragments and other debris were also used as part of the investigation.

The Red Fort area is one of Delhi’s most recognisable historic precincts and attracts residents, commuters and visitors. A blast in its vicinity therefore carries both a direct human cost and wider concerns about public safety in heavily used urban spaces.

The NIA’s allegations now form the basis of the prosecution case. The chargesheet sets out the investigators’ account of how extremist propaganda, encrypted contact, alleged recruitment and bomb-related preparations converged in the November 10, 2025 explosion. The allegations remain subject to judicial examination as the case moves through the legal process.