New Delhi, (UNI) Defence Minister Rajnath Singh today assured that the country’s leading investigative agencies are conducting a “swift and thorough” inquiry into the recent high-intensity explosion near Delhi’s iconic Red Fort, which claimed eight lives and left several others injured.
He said those responsible for the tragedy “will not be spared,” and that the findings of the investigation would be made public soon.
Addressing the Delhi Defence Dialogue at the Manohar Parrikar Institute for Defence Studies and Analyses (MP-IDSA), Singh said, “I extend my heartfelt condolences to all those who lost their lives in the tragic incident that occurred in Delhi yesterday. I pray to God to grant strength and courage to the bereaved families in this hour of deep grief.”
“From this platform, I wish to assure the nation that the country’s leading investigative agencies are conducting a swift and thorough inquiry into the incident. The findings will soon be made public, and those responsible will be brought to justice and will not be spared under any circumstances.”
Meanwhile, union Home Minister Amit Shah chaired a high-level security review meeting to assess the situation following the deadly blast.
The meeting was attended by Home Secretary Govind Mohan, Intelligence Bureau Director Tapan Deka, NIA Director General Sadanand Vasant Date, and Delhi Police Commissioner Satish Golchha. Jammu and Kashmir DGP Nalin Prabhat joined the meeting virtually.
According to Delhi Police sources, preliminary findings suggest the explosion may have been a ‘fidayeen’ (suicide) attack. The suspect allegedly shifted to a suicide-style operation after learning that a terror module in Faridabad had been busted earlier the same day, in an attempt to maximise casualties and evade capture.
Investigators are probing whether the actual target was elsewhere, as CCTV footage shows the Hyundai i20 moving slowly before the blast. All possible angles are under scrutiny.
Earlier on Monday, the Jammu and Kashmir and Haryana Police had recovered 360 kg of explosives and ammunition from Faridabad and arrested two individuals — Dr. Muzammil and Aadil Rather — believed to be linked to the case.
Agencies are now working to piece together the sequence of events and determine whether the Delhi blast was connected to the Faridabad seizure.
The Rapid Action Force (RAF) has been deployed around the Red Fort area, while multiple agencies, including the Delhi Police and the Forensic Science Laboratory (FSL), continue to investigate. CCTV footage and mobile data have provided crucial leads.
Officials said the suspected vehicle was seen entering and exiting the Red Fort parking area shortly before the explosion, with the driver appearing to be alone.
Investigators are tracing the car’s route toward Daryaganj and analysing over 100 CCTV recordings, including footage from nearby toll plazas.
Agencies are also conducting an extensive digital investigation, analysing communication data from all mobile phones active near the Red Fort at the time of the explosion.
IPDR (Internet Protocol Detail Record) analysis is being used to identify devices that went offline immediately after the blast, a possible sign of suspects trying to evade detection.
Investigators have extended their probe to Faridabad, cross-referencing data dumps to trace potential communication links between suspects and accomplices.
The explosion, which occurred around 7 pm on Monday, triggered panic in the historic Red Fort area, prompting a large-scale security response. Teams from the Special Cell, Crime Branch, and FSL rushed to the scene as the area was sealed off and visitors evacuated.
