In a significant update in the Red Fort car blast case, Delhi Police sources on Sunday told news agency ANI that three cartridges, two live and one empty recovered from the site were of 9mm calibre, a firearm type prohibited for civilian possession.

A senior police official said no pistol or any of its parts were found at the scene. “These cartridges are usually only possessed by the armed forces or those with special permission,” the official added. Authorities are now probing how the ammunition ended up at the site and whether the suspect had possession of it.

The discovery adds a new dimension to the investigation.

The blast, which occurred on November 10 near Delhi’s Red Fort, killed 12 people and injured several others. A fresh FIR under sections of criminal conspiracy was registered a day prior. Security around the historic monument has been tightened since the incident.

In a related development, the National Medical Commission (NMC) on Friday cancelled the registration of 4 Jammu and Kashmir-based doctors, Dr Muzaffar Ahmad, Dr Adeel Ahmad Rather, Dr Muzamil Shakeel, and Dr Shaheen Saeed, from the Indian Medical Register/National Medical Register with immediate effect. Delhi Police have already arrested Dr Adeel Ahmad Rather, Dr Muzamil Shakeel, and Dr Shaheen Saeed for their alleged links to previous terror cases.