‘Lal Mandir was original target’: How traffic forced Red Fort bomber to change plans

NEW DELHI: On Nov 10 last year, 13 minutes before the explosive-laden i20 exploded near Red Fort, bomber Umar-un-Nabi tried to park the car near ‘Lal Mandir’ in Chandni Chowk — suggesting it was the first target — but was diverted due to heavy traffic and police presence there. CCTV footage captured him attempting to park at 6.37pm, after which he took a U-turn and reached near Gate No. 4 of Red Fort, where he triggered the IED at 6.50pm.The details are part of the chargesheet recently filed by National Investigation Agency (NIA) in connection with the Red Fort blast. The chargesheet provides extensive details of the planning and execution of the first-ever vehicle-borne IED (VBIED) attack reported in the national capital.NIA has said the VBIED was detonated through a remote ‘command mechanism’ fitted in one of the shoes of the bomber, Umar-un-Nabi.