Red Fort blast: Umar Nabi’s ‘martyrdom’ video recovered from dumped phone

A crucial video of Red Fort bomber Dr Umar Nabi, in which he describes suicide bombing as a “martyrdom operation,” has been recovered from his mobile phone — one he allegedly ordered his younger brother to dispose of in a drain, investigators said.

Highly placed sources said that Umar handed the phone to his brother shortly before fleeing, and both siblings were subsequently detained by Jammu & Kashmir Police from their Pulwama home on the night of the blast. During interrogation, the younger brother allegedly confessed to dumping the device at Umar’s behest.

Police teams later traced the spot and recovered the phone after what an officer described as “strenuous, meticulous efforts.” Forensic extraction yielded at least four videos, including the now-circulating clip of Umar declaring his intent. The material has been handed over to both the National Investigation Agency (NIA) and State Investigation Agency (SIA) for deeper analysis.

Investigators say Umar was the most radicalized member of a close-knit Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM) module, frequently initiating discussions on suicide attacks. The cell included three other doctors:

• Dr Muzammil Ahmad Ganai, Umar’s colleague at Al Falah University
• Dr Adeel Majeed Rather, employed at a private hospital in Saharanpur
• Dr Shaheen Shahid Ansari, from Lucknow, also associated with Al Falah

The trio, now under arrest, have reportedly told interrogators that no specific target or timeline had yet been fixed. They claim Umar acted alone and impulsively after the module was exposed.

Investigators say the recovered digital evidence has now become central to piecing together the origins, motivation, and final execution of the Red Fort attack.