A powerful, high-intensity blast in the highly sensitive and crowded neighbourhood of Red Fort in Delhi during the evening rush hour on 10 November has shocked the nation. The blast sent human body parts flying, cars blown up, and glasses in the entire neighbourhood shattered. Although the initial reports suggested a possible cylinder blast in a slow-moving car, as details slowly emerged, it soon became clear that it was indeed a terror attack. Interestingly, it came on the same day when a huge cache of explosives amounting to almost 2,900 kg was recovered from the neighbouring city of Faridabad, which included materials for making IEDs like explosives, chemicals, electronic circuits, batteries, wires, remote controls, etc.

With the memories of the terror attack in Pahalgam, Kashmir on 22 April this year still fresh, the intelligence agencies, Delhi Police, National Investigation Agency (NIA), and even NSG were quickly swung into action. As the night progressed and evidence started emerging, it became clear that it was definitely a terror attack and perhaps a part of a much larger conspiracy. Home Minister Amit Shah was quick to reach the site to take stock and inform the nation promptly of the various possibilities being explored. PM Modi, who proceeded on his scheduled visit to Bhutan on 11 November, promised the sternest action, stating that “the conspirators behind this will not be spared. All those responsible will be brought to justice." A meeting of the Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS), the highest decision-making body on security in the country, has been convened for 12 November, indicating the seriousness of the situation.

As the investigations unfold and the finer details emerge slowly, there are many questions to be answered, many conspiracies to be unravelled, and the possible options for bringing the perpetrators to justice to be explored.

Delhi has had a history of bomb blasts and terror attacks but had witnessed a period of calm and peace for the last 14 years, especially after the Modi government came to power in May 2014. The last major attack was on 7 September 2011 when a briefcase bomb exploded outside the Delhi High Court, killing 12 people. It was claimed by a terror group Harkat-ul-Jihad Islami (HUJI), affiliated with al-Qaeda and largely based in Pakistan.

The Red Fort was witness to another terror attack on 22 December 2000 when terrorists of Lashkar-e-Toiba (LeT) entered the army garrison within the Red Fort and opened fire, resulting in the death of three Indian Army soldiers. In October 2005, 59 people were killed in serial blasts that rocked popular markets of Sarojini Nagar and Paharganj in Delhi. A repeat of the same happened in September 2008 (months before the Mumbai 26/11 terror attack) when multiple blasts rocked commercial spaces in Delhi including Connaught Place, Greater Kailash, and Karol Bagh. And who can forget the dastardly attack by five Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) terrorists on the Indian Parliament on 13 December 2001 (months after the 9/11 attack in New York) that resulted in the death of nine members of........

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