Investigators say this new finding is crucial, as it shifts the narrative from a suspected suicide bombing to an accidental explosion that occurred during transport.
According to intelligence sources, the suspect had incorrectly assembled the improvised explosive device (IED), which resulted in a reduced impact. The explosion, which took place in a Hyundai i20 near Delhi’s Red Fort, killed nine people and injured nearly two dozen others. Eyewitnesses reported that the powerful blast sent shockwaves strong enough to rattle nearby buildings in Chandni Chowk, one of the most crowded areas in the capital.
Preliminary evidence suggesting the explosion was accidental includes the absence of a blast crater and lack of projectiles at the scene — signs that the IED may have detonated unintentionally while the suspects were transporting it through heavy traffic.
Investigators believe the suspects may have panicked and failed to properly arm the device to cause maximum damage. The i20 was moving slowly through bumper-to-bumper traffic when it exploded, and officials suspect the car’s motion could have triggered the premature blast, further supporting the accidental detonation theory.
Top intelligence officials have also not ruled out the possibility that the explosion occurred while the suspects were attempting to relocate or dispose of the explosives.
Sources added that recent nationwide raids on sleeper terror cells and coordinated operations by multiple security agencies likely played a key role in averting a larger-scale attack.
