'Ghost sims' used by doctors to communicate with Pakistan handlers
The NIA has uncovered that "ghost SIM cards"—untraceable mobile numbers—were used by doctors to coordinate with handlers in Pakistan for the Red Fort blast on November 10, 2025.
The attack, carried out by Dr. Umar-un-Nabi, an assistant professor at Al Falah University, originally from Pulwama, killed 15 people and injured over 30 near the Red Fort metro station.
How the investigation is unfolding
NIA is digging into how these ghost SIMs were obtained and used, asking telecom companies for details.
The blast was linked to a Jaish-e-Mohammad module exposed earlier in Srinagar.
In response, new rules now require active SIM registration for apps like WhatsApp and Telegram to block such anonymous activity.
Meanwhile, NIA has arrested several suspects tied to recruitment—including a radicalizer who reportedly recruited doctors online and connected them with Pakistani bomb-making handlers.