New Delhi/Nagpur: In a major development, Nagpur-born IPS officer Vijay Sakhare, the Director General of the National Investigation Agency (NIA), has been entrusted with leading a special 10-member high-level team to investigate the powerful blast near Delhi’s Red Fort Metro Station that claimed nine lives earlier this week.
The NIA team, headed personally by Sakhare, includes an Inspector General (IG), two Deputy Inspectors General (DIGs), three Superintendents of Police (SPs), and four DSP-rank officers. The elite unit will take over all case diaries and evidence collected by the Jammu & Kashmir, Delhi, and Haryana Police linked to the Jaish terror module, believed to be behind the explosion.
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13 Oct 2025
Over 1,000 CCTV footages are currently being analyzed, while investigators are also monitoring social media networks, mobile data, and digital footprints across multiple cities to map out the module’s movements and financial channels.
Nagpur’s pride at the helm
A native of Nagpur, Vijay Sakhare is a 1996-batch IPS officer of the Kerala cadre and one of the most respected names in Indian policing. Known for his tech-savvy approach and sharp investigative acumen, Sakhare has previously served as Inspector General in the NIA before taking charge as its Director General in September 2025.
An alumnus of Visvesvaraya National Institute of Technology (VNIT), Nagpur, Sakhare completed his engineering degree between 1989 and 1992, followed by postgraduate studies at IIT Delhi (1992–93) and later at Harvard University, USA. His journey from Nagpur’s classrooms to India’s top anti-terror agency stands as a testament to dedication and discipline.
Sakhare began his police career as an Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) in Kerala, later serving as Superintendent of Police (2000–2004) and then as Commissioner of Police, Kochi, where he gained recognition for modernizing policing methods. His leadership and coordination between intelligence and enforcement wings have been widely acknowledged within security circles.
Described by colleagues as “a computer expert, methodical investigator, and disciplined leader,” Sakhare is also known for his passion for tennis and cricket. traits that reflect his balance of focus and vigour.
Delhi blast probe intensifies
The Red Fort blast, which occurred on Monday at 6:52 pm, has triggered nationwide alarm. The Union Home Minister Amit Shah personally reviewed the situation before transferring the case to the NIA on Tuesday.
Preliminary investigations suggest that the suspected suicide bomber, Umar Mohammad, may have panicked and detonated the explosives prematurely, following the arrest of two key module members, Dr. Muzammil Shakeel and Dr. Adil Rather, from Haryana’s Faridabad, where 2,900 kg of explosives, including ammonium nitrate, were recovered the same day.
Early forensic assessments point towards a possible accidental detonation, with the absence of a blast crater and projectiles indicating a mishandled explosive device.
With a Nagpur-born officer now spearheading one of the country’s most high-stakes terror investigations, the Orange City’s name once again shines at the forefront of India’s national security efforts.
