High-intensity explosion in capital kills at least 9

High-intensity explosion in capital kills at least 9

Blast took place in a slow-moving vehicle outside the Red Fort in central Delhi; at least 20 persons injured; nationwide alert sounded; ‘all possibilities’ being explored, says Home Minister Amit Shah.

A high-intensity explosion in a slow-moving car outside the Red Fort in central Delhi left at least nine people dead and more than 20 injured on Monday, sparking a nationwide alert and a probe involving multiple agencies.

A person in whose name the car was registered was detained in Gurugram, Haryana.

Union Home Minister Amit Shah said “all possibilities” were being explored and a “thorough investigation will be conducted taking all options into account”. He said the blast occurred in the car around 7 p.m., due to which vehicles near it were damaged and a few pedestrians injured.

“CCTV cameras in nearby areas are being scoured. We will share the details with the public,” he said.

He later visited the Lok Nayak Jai Prakash Hospital where the injured were being treated. “We are investigating from all angles. Until samples recovered from the site are analysed by the Forensic Sciences Laboratory [FSL] and the National Security Guard [NSG], it is difficult to say anything. We do not rule out anything,” Mr. Shah said.

The impact of the blast was so severe that bodies were charred beyond recognition, with the explosion being heard around three km away. Delhi Police Commissioner Satish Golcha said, “A slow-moving car stopped at the red light outside Red Fort around 6.52 p.m. The explosion happened in that vehicle, and due to the explosion, vehicles near it were also damaged. All agencies, Forensic Sciences, National Investigation Agency, are here.”

According to senior officials, the blast triggered a fire in several vehicles parked nearby, leading to casualties and chaos.

“Condolences to those who have lost their loved ones in the blast in Delhi earlier this evening. May the injured recover at the earliest,” Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on X.

The Delhi Fire Services said they received the call regarding the blast around 6:55 p.m. A police source confirmed the occupant of the car in which the explosion took place had also been killed and was yet to be identified. Only two of the nine bodies could be identified till late Monday evening.

Eyewitness Mohsin Ali said in the intensity of the blast those around the main entrance were charred to death. “We tried lifting people up and putting them into e-rickshaws but there was heavy smoke and we could hardly see anything,” he said.