Investigators looking into the November 10 suicide car bomb blast near the Red Fort have found that the white-collar terror module behind the attack had much bigger plans. According to the National Investigation Agency (NIA), the group wanted to modify drones to carry bombs and even tried to make rockets before the Delhi attack.

Officials say this idea is similar to the way Hamas used drones during its large-scale attack on Israel on October 7, 2023, where drones played a major role in destroying key security points.

The NIA uncovered this threat after arresting a second suspect who allegedly worked closely with the suicide bomber, Umar Un Nabi.

The agency said it caught Jasir Bilal Wani, also known as Danish, from Srinagar. He is from Jammu and Kashmir, just like the first accused Amir Rashid Ali, who was arrested in Delhi.

According to the NIA, Danish gave technical help to the module by working on drones and trying to make rockets before the car bomb was used.

Sources told NDTV that Danish tried to create powerful drones with big batteries so they could carry heavier bombs and cameras. He also has earlier experience in modifying small weaponised drones, they said.

Investigators believe the module’s plan was to send an armed drone over a crowded area to cause maximum harm. This method has been used in several conflict zones, including by groups in Syria, sources pointed out.

Across the world, many countries now understand how easily drones can be used by terrorists. Different nations have built their own levels of defence depending on their technology.

India, too, has been building up its drone strike units and anti-drone systems, especially in recent years, to handle such threats more effectively.