‘Dead Drop’: The secret email technique Delhi blast suspects used and how it kept their plans off the radar

The Delhi Police investigation into the November 10 Red Fort blast, which killed 13 people, is now focusing on an unusually covert communication system allegedly used by the suspects: dead-drop emails, a method long associated with spy networks and militant groups.

According to sources quoted by NDTV, the accused, including doctors Muzammil Shakeel, Umar Mohammad, and Shaheed Saeed, relied on a shared email account where messages were never sent. Instead, plans were typed as saved drafts, and others logged in to read or update the content. Because nothing was transmitted, the communication left almost no digital footprint.

The ‘dead drop’ method and why it mattered

For investigators, the use of a single inbox with draft-only instructions indicates deliberate attempts to avoid detection.