One month after Red Fort blast, Amit Shah reveals scale of foiled terror conspiracy

Inaugurating the two-day Anti-Terrorism Conference 2025, organised by the National Investigation Agency (NIA), Shah underscored India’s zero-tolerance approach to terrorism and praised the agencies for thwarting a far larger terror conspiracy.

He praised the Jammu and Kashmir Police and central agencies for dismantling the terror network behind the attack, stating that all those involved in planning the conspiracy were apprehended before further attacks could take place.

According to the NIA, nine people linked to Dr Umar-un-Nabi, who allegedly drove the car that exploded near the Red Fort on November 10, have been arrested so far.

The blast claimed 15 lives and left several others injured.

Shah said the investigations into both the Delhi blast and the Pahalgam attack were not routine police operations but significant successes that demonstrated the importance of constant vigilance. “A vigilant officer can save the country from a massive crisis,” he said.

Referring to the recent attack in Jammu and Kashmir’s Baisaran Valley, Shah said the objective of the terrorists was to disrupt communal harmony and damage Kashmir’s growing tourism sector.

He added that, acting on precise intelligence inputs, security forces neutralised all three terrorists involved in the attack.

The home minister said that those who planned the attacks and those who carried them out had been dealt with through targeted counter-terror operations, sending a strong message to Pakistan.

He added that the findings of the Pahalgam investigation would be presented on international platforms to highlight Pakistan’s role in cross-border terrorism.

Shah also urged directors general of police to pursue trials in absentia against absconding accused without hesitation, saying the measure would help compel fugitives to return to India.

He called for stronger coordination between central agencies and state police under a “Team India” approach to national security.

During the event, Shah launched three new initiatives — an updated NIA crime manual, the Organised Crime Network Database, and the Lost, Looted and Recovered Weapons Database — aimed at strengthening India’s counter-terror and organised crime capabilities.

Warning that India’s rise as a major global economy would bring increased security challenges, Shah stressed the need for multi-layered security systems to counter cyber threats, economic offences and hybrid forms of terrorism.