Dr Umar was a shoe bomber

New Delhi: Just a week after the suicide blast that tore through the busy Red Fort stretch during the evening rush hour — killing 13 and injuring dozens — investigators have stumbled upon chilling clues that may redefine the very nature of the terror attack.

The November 10 explosion, already one of the rare suicide bombings in India, has left the National Investigation Agency (NIA) stunned for another reason: the attacker may have been a “shoe bomber.”

According to NIA sources, a severed ankle recovered from the mangled remains of the car used in the attack points to the possibility that Dr Umar un Nabi may have concealed a triggering mechanism inside his shoe. A metallic component embedded inside the shoe is being analysed to determine whether it acted as the trigger.

The method bears an eerie resemblance to Richard Reid’s 2001 attempt to blow up a trans-Atlantic flight using TATP hidden in his shoes. Investigators also suspect the use of Triacetone Triperoxide (TATP) — the highly unstable explosive nicknamed “Mother of Satan” for its extreme sensitivity to heat, friction, and static electricity.

Adding to the mystery, three 9mm cartridges — two live and one empty — were recovered near the blast site. The calibre is barred for civilian use, typically issued only to specialised units, raising questions about what unfolded inside or around the vehicle moments before detonation.

Sources say the sophisticated “white-collar” terror module busted recently by the J&K Police — allegedly run by a group of radicalised doctors — had been hunting for a suicide bomber since last year, with key planner Dr Umar Nabi aggressively pushing the plot.