The high-intensity blast that ripped through a Hyundai i20 near the Red Fort Metro Station, killing at least eight people, is not just a tragic terror incident but a forensic challenge that points toward a shift in explosive tactics. As the National Investigation Agency (NIA) and the National Security Guard (NSG) sift through the highly fragmented debris, the absence of one key factor—shrapnel wounds—is guiding the entire probe.
The investigation is focusing intensely on identifying the precise chemical composition of the Improvised Explosive Device (IED) used in the attack.
The Crucial Clue: No Shrapnel Wounds
Initial reports from hospitals treating the 20+ injured victims reveal a critical detail: the majority of injuries are consistent with blast overpressure (shockwaves) and impact injuries (being thrown against objects or hit by car fragments), rather than fragmentation injuries caused by nails, ball bearings, or metal scraps commonly packed into IEDs.
What the Absence of Shrapnel Suggests:
- High-Order Explosive (HE): The force required to instantly shred a car, while limiting lethal fragmentation, suggests the perpetrators used a high-velocity, high-order explosive (HE).
- Focus on Blast Effect: This tactic focuses on maximizing the instantaneous blast wave and the concussive force to kill and injure, rather than relying on shrapnel to extend the lethal radius.
The RDX vs. Ammonium Nitrate Debate:
- Ammonium Nitrate (AN): Often used in large-scale VBIEDs (Vehicle-Borne IEDs) when mixed with fuel oil (ANFO). Its use is suspected due to the massive 2,900 kg cache of precursor chemicals seized in the nearby Faridabad terror module bust.
- RDX (Cyclotrimethylenetrinitramine): A powerful military-grade plastic explosive, typically used when a precise, high-velocity blast is needed. The lack of shrapnel could indicate a highly concentrated RDX-based charge meant for a specific target, though this is less common for mass-casualty attacks on crowds.
Forensic teams are currently employing highly sensitive techniques like HPLC (High-Performance Liquid Chromatography) and GC-MS (Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry) to identify microscopic explosive residues, a challenging process given the near-complete destruction of the device . The definitive answer lies in these chemical tests.
VBIED Tactic: A Shadow from India’s Past
The use of a VBIED is a significant escalation of terror tactics, allowing a large payload to be transported covertly to a busy location like the Red Fort periphery.
- Ease of Concealment: Unlike a planted bag, a car can carry a substantial charge without attracting immediate suspicion.
- Terror Precedent: The tactic is a grim reminder of the 2003 Mumbai bombings and, most notably, the 2019 Pulwama attack, where a VBIED suicide bomber targeted a CRPF convoy. The investigation is exploring if the modus operandi is an attempt to revive this high-impact, high-casualty method in the nation’s capital.
Authorities are now racing against time to match the forensic signature of the explosive used in the Delhi car with the chemical compounds seized in the massive terror haul just hours earlier in Haryana.
The NIA has officially taken over the probe, indicating the certainty of a high-level terror conspiracy in the Red Fort attack.
