13 Killed, 24 Injured in Delhi Car Explosion, Vital Installations Put on High Alert
Manas Dasgupta
NEW DELHI, Nov 10: At least 13 people have been killed and 24 others injured in a powerful car explosion at a traffic junction near the iconic Red Fort in Delhi on Monday evening.
The police said a high-intensity explosion ripped through a car with passengers Red Fort, one of India’s most high-profile spots. The blast took place in a Hyundai I20 car at 6.52 near the Red Fort Metro Station, leaving mangled bodies and wrecked cars scattered in the busy area. “It was a very powerful explosion,” said sources in the Delhi Police.
Delhi Police Commissioner Satish Golcha said a slow-moving vehicle stopped at a red light outside the Red Fort at 6:52 p.m. when an explosion occurred in that vehicle. “The blast took place in a slow-moving vehicle near the Red Fort traffic signal. There were occupants in the car while it also damaged other cars nearby, Mr Golcha told reporters. The explosion damaged 22 cars.
India’s premier terror probe agency, the National Investigation Agency (NIA), and the National Security Guard have joined the investigations. Mumbai, Jaipur, Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand and several other places in the country have been placed under high alert following the Red Fort blast.
A Delhi police official, however, said the vehicle involved in the explosion was a Eeco car and added that it was too early to confirm if it was a bomb blast. “The explosion happened in a moving car on the road. There is no crater at the spot, so we cannot say if it is a bomb blast. Also, no pellet or splinter injuries have been reported so far, which are common in bomb explosions.
“The Eeco car, which was the source of the blast, had two to three occupants and was completely mangled. Forensic teams are collecting samples” the official added. The explosion, which occurred near Gate No 1 of the Red Fort Metro Station, triggered a massive fire that engulfed several vehicles. According to officials, six cars, two e-rickshaws and one autorickshaw were gutted. Ten fire tenders were rushed to the spot, and the blaze was brought under control by 7.29 pm.
Panic gripped the busy area as thick plumes of smoke billowed into the air. Eyewitness videos circulated by the Chandni Chowk Traders’ Association showed charred vehicles and bodies lying on the road. “The blast was so loud that it felt like an earthquake. Our building, nearly 800 metres away, shook,” said Sanjay Bhargaw, the association’s president.
The National Investigation Agency (NIA) has joined the probe, while Delhi Police and forensic experts are examining remains of the car to determine the cause. A high alert has been sounded across the capital. The explosion comes just hours after Haryana Police, working with Jammu and Kashmir counterparts, arrested Dr Muzammil Ganaie – a Kashmiri doctor – from Faridabad and seized about 360 kg of suspected ammonium nitrate, arms, ammunition and timers from his rented house.
Disturbing visuals showed bodies on the ground, severed body parts, and mangled cars. “We responded immediately, and seven units were sent to the spot. At 7:29 PM, the fire was brought under control,” said Deputy Chief Fire Officer AK Malik. Moments after the blast, an unprecedented number of police and security personnel filled the area, which sees heavy tourist traffic all year.
The 17th-century Mughal-built Red Fort, known as Lal Qilla, is located in the congested old quarters of Delhi and is a popular tourist destination. Prime Minister Narendra Modi has been briefed by Union Home Minister Amit Shah on the blast. The Delhi Police Commissioner and chiefs of the NIA and Intelligence Bureau (IB) are regularly updating the Home Minister about the situation, sources in the government said. Visuals showed a van with its doors blown off, a completely mangled car, another with a smashed windscreen and crumpled bodies on the ground.
“A call was received regarding an explosion in a car near Gate number 1 of the Red Fort Metro Station,” the Delhi Fire Department said. “We got information that there was a blast in a car. We responded immediately, and seven units were sent to the spot. At 7:29 PM, the fire was brought under control,” said Deputy Chief Fire Officer AK Malik. Around 20 fire engines were dispatched to the scene, and the police have cordoned off the entire area, which sees heavy tourist traffic all year.
As per eyewitnesses, the blast occurred in the car. Zeeshan, an auto driver who got injured due to the blast, said, “The car in front of me was about two feet away. I don’t know whether there was a bomb in it or something else, but it exploded.”
“I saw a huge fireball from the terrace of my house. There was a huge sound. The blast shook the windows of the buildings,” said a witness. “I was at the gurdwara when I heard a strong sound. We couldn’t make out what it was; it was that loud,” said another.
The West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Monday expressed deep shock over the explosion near Delhi’s Red Fort. “Deeply shocked to hear about the tragic blast in New Delhi. My heart goes out to the families who have lost their loved ones, and I pray for strength and a swift recovery for all those injured,” Ms Banerjee said in a post on X.
The Leader of the Opposition in Lok Sabha and senior Congress leader Rahul Gandhi calls the blast “heart-breaking and concerning.” He expressed his deepest condolences to the bereaved families and swift recovery to the injured. “The news of the car explosion near Delhi’s Red Fort Metro Station is extremely heartbreaking and concerning. The report of the deaths of several innocent people in this tragic incident is profoundly sorrowful. In this hour of grief, I stand with the bereaved families who have lost their loved ones and express my deepest condolences to them. I hope for the swift recovery of all the injured,” Mr Gandhi wrote on X.
In the wake of the explosion all installations secured by the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF), including the Delhi Metro, Red Fort, government buildings, and IGI Airport, have been placed on high alert. The situation is being constantly monitored, and personnel are on standby, according to the CISF.
