Nuh: The National Investigation Agency (NIA) on Thursday detained a fertilizer and seed shop owner from Pinangwan in Nuh district in connection with the Red Fort blast on November 10. The suspect, identified as Dinesh Kumar, also known locally as Dabbu Singla, is a long-time resident of Pinangwan and has been running his fertilizer business for nearly 20 years.

According to NIA officials, intelligence inputs linked Kumar’s shop to the purchase of around 300 kilograms of ammonium nitrate, a key ingredient used by the terror module led by Dr Umar Un Nabi, one of the prime suspects in the attack. The agency alleges that the suspect supplied the chemical for profit without verifying the credentials of buyers.

The detention caused widespread panic among local traders, many of whom temporarily shut their shops. “We are scared; the agencies are questioning everyone,” said a shopkeeper near the Pinangwan market. Another trader, Shakir Ali, added, “This entire market is busy and crowded. We can’t remember everyone who visits. If someone buys in small quantities, no one suspects anything.”

NIA sources confirmed that the operation followed coordinated intelligence from the Jammu and Kashmir Police and central units, indicating that ammonium nitrate used in the blast had been procured from Nuh, Gurugram, and Faridabad. Local police were present during the raid. Investigators suspect that more dealers may be involved and that the supply network could extend to adjoining districts.

“The district is under close surveillance, and raids are being conducted at multiple locations,” an officer familiar with the case said. “Further arrests are likely as the supply chain is being verified.”

As the probe continues, fear and unease have gripped Pinangwan’s business community, with authorities expanding their investigation into the fertilizer supply network allegedly used to carry out one of Delhi’s deadliest explosions in recent years.