At least eight individuals lost their lives on Monday in a car explosion close to the iconic Red Fort in a densely populated section of New Delhi, as confirmed by a police representative. The cause of the rare blast in the heavily guarded city of over 30 million inhabitants is under investigation, stated police spokesperson Sanjay Tyagi. Following the incident, India’s financial hub, Mumbai, and its most populous state, Uttar Pradesh, which shares a border with Delhi, heightened security measures. Reports from television channels indicated that approximately 20 people sustained injuries in the explosion, with ambulances swiftly responding to the scene.
The aftermath of the explosion revealed mangled bodies and multiple vehicles in ruins on a congested street near a metro station in Old Delhi. Law enforcement swiftly mobilized to secure the area and disperse onlookers. Delhi Police Commissioner Satish Golcha disclosed that the explosion occurred shortly before 7 p.m. local time, detailing that a slow-moving vehicle at a traffic signal was the epicenter of the blast, causing damage to nearby vehicles.
Authorities from federal and state investigative bodies are present at the scene, with federal Home Minister Amit Shah receiving a briefing on the incident, Golcha further revealed. Prime Minister Narendra Modi conveyed his condolences to the bereaved families and wished a speedy recovery to the injured, assuring that the affected individuals are receiving necessary support. Modi also mentioned reviewing the situation with Shah and other officials.
Subsequently, Delhi’s deputy fire chief reported that at least six vehicles and three auto-rickshaws caught fire during the incident, with firefighting teams successfully extinguishing the flames. Witness accounts described the chaos that ensued following the explosion, with numerous ambulances converging at the site and the area being cordoned off after the fire was contained. The Red Fort, or Lal Qila, a historic 17th-century architectural marvel blending Persian and Indian influences, attracts tourists year-round and serves as the backdrop for the prime minister’s annual Independence Day address.
Delhi has experienced past instances of violence, notably during the 1980s and 1990s, with previous attacks attributed to Islamist militants or separatists from Punjab. The city witnessed a significant explosion in 2011 outside the High Court, claiming around a dozen lives in the last major incident of its kind.