After Delhi Blast, All Kashmiris Treated as “Suspects”: CM Omar

Suhail Khan

SRINAGAR, Nov 19: Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Wednesday expressed grave concern that the entire population of Kashmir is being viewed with suspicion following the recent Delhi blast, a perception he attributes to the alleged involvement of a few individuals.

The Chief Minister’s remarks were made during visits to the families of civilians killed in a separate explosion in Nowgam last Friday.

Abdullah met with the bereaved families of Aijaz Afzal Mir in HMT Zainakote, Mohammad Amin Mir in Bemina, and Showkat Ahmad Bhat in Qamarwari—all of whom were forensic experts. He also offered condolences to the families of Suhail Ahmad Rather, a watchman from Natipora, and Mohammad Shafi Paray, a tailor from Wanabal.

Speaking to reporters, Chief Minister Abdullah stated that residents of Jammu and Kashmir are becoming increasingly reluctant to travel outside the Union Territory, fearing collective stigmatization.

“In the prevailing circumstances, parents may hesitate to send their children outside the region. When we are viewed with suspicion from all sides and defamed for the actions of a few, it becomes difficult for us to venture out,” he said.

He illustrated his concern with a personal example as per Kashmir Convener stated “Today, even driving a Jammu and Kashmir-registered vehicle in Delhi is perceived as suspicious. When I am without significant security, I myself hesitate to take out my car, unsure if I will be stopped and interrogated about my origin and purpose.”

Lamenting the continuous loss of innocent lives, the Chief Minister further contended that the revocation of the region’s special status has not curbed violence. “We were told that the cycle of violence would end after 2019, but it has not,” Abdullah stated, referring to the Centre’s August 5, 2019 decision to abrogate Article 370 and bifurcate the former state into the Union Territories of Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh. He called for greater accountability, asserting that those responsible for security in the region must be held responsible.

Meanwhile, the investigation into a white-collar terror module has expanded, with officials examining the finances and administration of Faridabad’s Al-Falah Medical College. All the individuals implicated in the module, who used their positions as practising doctors as cover, were employed at the college before police dismantled the network.

In a related development, the National Investigation Agency (NIA) this week arrested another key suspect from Kashmir for allegedly providing technical support—including modifying drones and constructing rockets—for the recent car bomb blast in Delhi. The individual, identified as Jasir Bilal Wani (also known as Danish), a resident of Qazigund in Anantnag district, was apprehended in Srinagar by a specialized NIA team. Officials describe him as a close associate of Dr. Umar un Nabi, the alleged primary perpetrator of the attack in Delhi’s Red Fort area.

According to an NIA official, Wani acted as an active co-conspirator in the plot. “Investigations reveal that the accused provided critical technical expertise. He is alleged to have modified drones and attempted to manufacture rockets in the lead-up to the deadly blast,” the official stated. The arrest forms part of the ongoing investigation into the case (registered as RC-21/2025/NIA/DLI), as the agency works to fully unravel the conspiracy. “The NIA continues to investigate all angles,” the official added. “Multiple teams are pursuing several leads and conducting searches across various states to identify every individual involved.”

To date, the NIA has examined 73 witnesses, including individuals injured in the blast. The agency is coordinating closely with police forces in Delhi, Jammu and Kashmir, Haryana, and Uttar Pradesh, as well as other central agencies, to uncover the broader conspiracy.

This security initiative follows the Jammu and Kashmir Police’s recovery of approximately 2,900 kilograms of explosives, including ammonium nitrate, during raids in Haryana’s Faridabad on November 9–10. The recovery was made after a seven-member inter-state “white-collar” terror module was busted in Kashmir. Three doctors were arrested in connection with the module between October 30 and November 8.

The case was later found to be intrinsically linked to the Delhi car blast, as the driver of the i20 vehicle that detonated near the Red Fort was identified as Dr. Nabi. He is an associate of two of the three arrested doctors—Muzammil Ahmad Ganaie and Adeel Ahmad Rather—all of whom are from South Kashmir. The third doctor arrested, Shaheen Saeed, is from Lucknow and previously worked at Al Falah University, where Dr. Ganaie and Dr. Nabi were also employed. Dr. Rather was arrested in Saharanpur, Uttar Pradesh.