'Operation Sindoor still on': Govt sources warn after Delhi blast, say any terror op is an 'act of war'

They reiterated that any act of terrorism on Indian soil will be treated as an act of war — a clear message aimed at Pakistan-backed groups attempting to destabilise the country.

The warning follows initial probe findings that have linked the explosion to a Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM)-linked terror module operating out of Haryana’s Faridabad.

The group is suspected of coordinating activities across multiple states using encrypted online platforms.

Operation Sindoor: India’s stand after Pahalgam attack

Top government sources said India’s counterterror operation — Operation Sindoor — remains active.

“Operation Sindoor is still on,” a senior official stated, underlining New Delhi’s continuing military preparedness after the Pahalgam terror attack in April that killed 26 civilians in Jammu and Kashmir.

That attack, which triggered retaliatory operations along the Line of Control, marked a shift in India’s counterterror posture — one that no longer distinguishes between militants and their sponsors across the border.

The Red Fort blast, coming just months later, is being viewed as an attempt to provoke another escalation.

'Those responsible will not be spared'

Reacting strongly to the capital’s first major terror-related incident in months, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh assured the nation that those behind the Red Fort blast will be brought to justice.

“The country’s premier investigative agencies are conducting a swift and thorough inquiry. Findings of the investigation will be made public soon,” he said at a defence conference in New Delhi.

“I want to firmly assure the nation that those responsible for this tragedy will be punished — they will not be spared under any circumstances,” Singh added.

The minister’s statement comes as the National Investigation Agency (NIA) and Delhi Police’s Special Cell continue to coordinate on the case, which now has clear links to a multi-state terror network.

Modi promises action

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday promised not to spare the conspirators behind the Delhi car blast that killed nine people last evening.

Modi, who toured Bhutan this morning, sent a message from Thimphu.

"The horrific incident that took place in Delhi yesterday evening has deeply distressed everyone's hearts. I understand the grief of the affected families. Today, the entire nation stands with them. The conspirators behind this will not be spared," the PM said.

Inside the blast investigation

By Tuesday morning, crime scene investigators were combing through the wreckage of a white Hyundai i20, the vehicle that exploded at a busy intersection near the Red Fort.

The blast occurred around 6:50 p.m., sending a fireball through the crowded stretch of Netaji Subhash Marg and setting multiple vehicles ablaze.

The car’s registered owner has been identified as Dr Umar Mohammad, a resident of Pulwama, Jammu and Kashmir, and a medical professional by training.

According to investigators, Umar was part of a radicalised group of doctors who had been communicating on encrypted Telegram channels and were associated with Jaish-e-Mohammad.

Sources said Umar may have panicked after the arrest of two key members of the module — Dr Muzammil Shakeel and Dr Adeel Ahmad Rather — over the past week. The duo had been picked up from Faridabad and Saharanpur, respectively, in connection with a massive explosives seizure.

2,900 kg of explosives seized in Faridabad

The investigation took a dramatic turn after 2,900 kilograms of explosive and inflammable materials were recovered from two rented rooms in Faridabad linked to Dr Muzammil Shakeel.

The seized chemicals included ammonium nitrate, potassium nitrate, and sulphur — compounds commonly used in improvised explosive devices (IEDs).

Officials believe the same materials were used in the Red Fort explosion, suggesting a direct operational link between the Faridabad module and the Delhi blast.

Shakeel and Rather were among eight individuals arrested across Jammu and Kashmir, Haryana, and Uttar Pradesh for their involvement in what investigators describe as a “white-collar terror network” — one involving educated professionals radicalised into extremist ideologies.

A 'white collar' terror network emerges

The discovery of highly educated individuals — including doctors and medical researchers — participating in a terror module has deeply concerned security agencies.

Intelligence reports suggest that the network used academic and professional circles as a cover to raise funds and recruit new members.

The Jammu and Kashmir Police have described this as a “white collar terror ecosystem”, an alarming trend that merges intellectual sophistication with extremist objectives.

“They operated discreetly, using encrypted communication and legitimate platforms to move money, share propaganda, and plan logistics,” said an officer involved in the probe.

The network reportedly maintained ties with both Jaish-e-Mohammad and Ansar Ghazwat-ul-Hind, another Pakistan-backed militant group.

National security implications

Security analysts believe the Delhi blast represents an attempt by Pakistan-based outfits to reignite urban terrorism in India at a time when cross-border infiltration has been curbed.

The choice of target — near the Red Fort, one of India’s most symbolic landmarks — indicates a deliberate effort to send a message.

A senior official said that India’s intelligence and counterterror grid has been placed on “maximum alert”, particularly across Delhi, Haryana, and Uttar Pradesh.

The Home Ministry has also ordered enhanced monitoring of rental properties and chemical suppliers in the National Capital Region (NCR).

'An act of war'

Reiterating the government’s position, a top source said, “Any terror operation on Indian soil will be treated as an act of war.”

The phrase underscores India’s current zero-tolerance stance toward terrorism, a policy strengthened in the aftermath of the Pahalgam attack and reinforced by Operation Sindoor — the military campaign aimed at neutralising cross-border terror networks.

As the Red Fort blast probe deepens, investigators are not only tracing the immediate culprits but also examining whether Pakistan-based handlers played a direct role.

For now, the message from New Delhi is unambiguous — India will respond decisively to any act of terror within its borders.