New Delhi: Investigators probing Monday’s Delhi blast suspect that triacetone triperoxide aka TATP could be one of the key components of the IED that was in the car that exploded on Monday evening near Red Fort. At least two-three kg ammonium nitrate and fuel oil might also have been used along with other chemicals, which would have taken the bomb’s weight to 40-50kg, sources said.A large bag, presumably containing the improvised-explosive device, was kept on the rear seat of the i20 being driven by Dr Umar Un Nabi, who died in the blast, CCTV footage revealed earlier. The bag had occupied almost half of the rear seat, indicating the size of the IED. The impact of the blast was such that it was felt 50 metres underground and body parts were thrown in a 50-metre radius.Nicknamed ‘mother of satan’, TATP is extremely unstable, highly sensitive to shock, heat, friction and electrostatic discharge. However, it can help build “military-grade equivalent IED”, capable of impact amounting to almost 80% power of TNT (trinitrotoluene).If confirmed in the official detailed explosive report, which is yet to be submitted by National Security Guard and the forensics, it will add more clarity to the investigation, cops said. “It’s dangerous to handle in any quantity; accidental detonation during manufacturing or transportation is common,” said a senior security establishment officer.This would mean that bomb may not have needed a detonator and could have exploded due to heat or other factors. As an IED assembler, Umar knew this and that’s why he took the car to a crowded area, said sources.Police earlier suspected that the blast might have been “accidental”, a theory which now seems plausible in the wake of a blast at Srinagar’s Nowgam police station on Friday. “That’s why there were no shrapnel or pellets at the spot though car bombs don’t need them as their own parts act as shrapnels,” said an officer.TATP’s primary “advantage” is the ease of obtaining its precursor chemicals, acetone and hydrogen peroxide. They are easily available from common household products.Forensic experts said ammonium nitrate is an oxidiser and the main component in many industrial explosives, most famously ANFO (ammonium nitrate/fuel oil). Peroxides, especially concentrated hydrogen peroxide, are also powerful oxidisers.”Along with other things, explosives typically require a combination of a strong oxidiser and a fuel (a combustible material, often organic like fuel oil, aluminium powder or glycerine) to create a high-energy, detonable mixture,” said an FSL officer.Researchers have even explored hybrid explosives that combine hydrogen peroxide and ammonium nitrate as the oxidising phase, along with a fuel. “These mixtures are specifically designed to be powerful explosives, sometimes performing similarly to standard ammonium nitrate-based explosives,” said a bomb disposal squad member. “Mixing the oxidisers with with a fuel creates a highly energetic and potentially unstable material,” he added.About the AuthorRaj Shekhar JhaRaj Shekhar Jha is a journalist for the Times of India with over a decade of experience in reporting on national security, terrorism, crime and prisons.End of ArticleFollow Us On Social MediaVideos’MMC’: PM Modi Mocks Congress After NDA’s Bihar Win; Calls It ‘Muslim League Maoist’ Party‘Abandoned Tribals To Their Fate’: PM Modi Accuses Congress Of Neglecting Tribal CommunitiesCDS General Anil Chauhan Highlights Inter-Service Jointness And Integration In Op SindoorEAM Jaishankar, Russian FM Lavrov To Hold Talks In Moscow On Nov 17 Ahead Of Putin’s India TripAir Marshal AK Bharti Reveals Why India Ended Operation Sindoor After Achieving Its Core ObjectiveWTO DG Okonjo-Iweala Lauds India’s Trade Strategy, Calls For Multilateral LeadershipPakistan Rejects Taliban Narrative And Says Rising Terror From Afghan Soil Can No Longer Be IgnoredNDA Sweeps Bihar, Nitish Kumar Prepares for 10th CM Oath; A Look Back at ‘Sushasan Babu’s’ JourneyPiyush Goyal Says India Ready For WTO Leadership, Rejects Reform Agendas Pushed By Developed NationsJ&K Police Confirm 9 Killed in Nowgam Blast After Explosives Recovered From Faridabad Blows Up123Photostories6 ancient 10-minute yoga poses that will help sharpen memory and increase focus5 must-have pieces for a winter capsule wardrobeMahesh Babu to Priyanka Chopra: 5 best celebrity looks of the day5 easy exercises for shoulder painreliefSmelling this fragrance can instantly improve focus and supercharge the brain, and no, it’s not coffee6 easy and science-backed snacks that fight colon cancerMold Toxicity: How to recognize its symptoms that appear like a common cold7 phrases parents can say instead of ‘No’ to kidsExclusive – Bigg Boss 19: Mridul Tiwari reacts to his eviction, calls Farrhana Bhatt ‘toxic’ and ‘evil’, and comments on Amaal Mallik’s image being ‘white-washed’Animal protein vs plant protein: Which is best for meeting the body’s nutritional needs?123Hot PicksAlinagar Election ResultRaghopur Election ResultBihar Election Result 2025Gold rate todaySilver rate todayPublic Holidays NovemberBank Holidays NovemberTop TrendingCarey Price WifeArjun TendulkarTyreek HillsDubai Prince Sheikh Hamdan Net WorthZack RyderPat NarduzziJack DohertyWayne Gretzkys SonDak PrescottPercy Harvin
New Delhi: Investigators probing Monday’s Delhi blast suspect that triacetone triperoxide aka TATP could be one of the key components of the IED that was in the car that exploded on Monday evening near Red Fort. At least two-three kg ammonium nitrate and fuel oil might also have been used along with other chemicals, which would have taken the bomb’s weight to 40-50kg, sources said.A large bag, presumably containing the improvised-explosive device, was kept on the rear seat of the i20 being driven by Dr Umar Un Nabi, who died in the blast, CCTV footage revealed earlier. The bag had occupied almost half of the rear seat, indicating the size of the IED. The impact of the blast was such that it was felt 50 metres underground and body parts were thrown in a 50-metre radius.Nicknamed ‘mother of satan’, TATP is extremely unstable, highly sensitive to shock, heat, friction and electrostatic discharge. However, it can help build “military-grade equivalent IED”, capable of impact amounting to almost 80% power of TNT (trinitrotoluene).If confirmed in the official detailed explosive report, which is yet to be submitted by National Security Guard and the forensics, it will add more clarity to the investigation, cops said. “It’s dangerous to handle in any quantity; accidental detonation during manufacturing or transportation is common,” said a senior security establishment officer.This would mean that bomb may not have needed a detonator and could have exploded due to heat or other factors. As an IED assembler, Umar knew this and that’s why he took the car to a crowded area, said sources.Police earlier suspected that the blast might have been “accidental”, a theory which now seems plausible in the wake of a blast at Srinagar’s Nowgam police station on Friday. “That’s why there were no shrapnel or pellets at the spot though car bombs don’t need them as their own parts act as shrapnels,” said an officer.TATP’s primary “advantage” is the ease of obtaining its precursor chemicals, acetone and hydrogen peroxide. They are easily available from common household products.Forensic experts said ammonium nitrate is an oxidiser and the main component in many industrial explosives, most famously ANFO (ammonium nitrate/fuel oil). Peroxides, especially concentrated hydrogen peroxide, are also powerful oxidisers.“Along with other things, explosives typically require a combination of a strong oxidiser and a fuel (a combustible material, often organic like fuel oil, aluminium powder or glycerine) to create a high-energy, detonable mixture,” said an FSL officer.Researchers have even explored hybrid explosives that combine hydrogen peroxide and ammonium nitrate as the oxidising phase, along with a fuel. “These mixtures are specifically designed to be powerful explosives, sometimes performing similarly to standard ammonium nitrate-based explosives,” said a bomb disposal squad member. “Mixing the oxidisers with with a fuel creates a highly energetic and potentially unstable material,” he added.
