New Delhi, Nov 10 (UNI) Ten people were killed and more than 24 injured in a high-intensity explosion that tore through a car near the Red Fort metro station on Monday evening.
The blast set multiple vehicles ablaze and shattered nearby windowpanes. Police have sounded high alert across Delhi NCR and sealed the entire area.
Terror angle behind the incident is also being explored by investigators.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi is closely monitoring the situation and spoke with Home Minister Amit Shah. The Home Minister briefed the Prime Minister on the situation. ”The Home Minister is closely monitoring the situation and called up Delhi Police Commissioner Satish Golcha for details,” officials said.
Authorities are working to determine the exact cause of the blast. Forensic teams, the National Investigation Agency (NIA), and the National Security Guard (NSG) are on-site, and a high alert has been issued across Delhi NCR.
Delhi Police Commissioner, Satish Golcha, confirmed that officers are speaking to injured individuals and eyewitnesses to gather more details. The blast has prompted a high-level investigation.
The entire area has been sealed and teams from the NIA, FSL and Special Cell are currently investigating the blast site. The investigation is actively exploring the possibility of a terror angle.
The Delhi Police Commissioner provided details on the incident stating, “Today at around 6.52 pm, a slow-moving vehicle stopped at the red light. An explosion happened in that vehicle, and due to the explosion, nearby vehicles were also damaged.” He confirmed that all relevant agencies are on the ground and that the Home Minister is being kept informed.
“The Home Minister has also called us, and information is being shared with him from time to time,” Commissioner Golcha added.
The blast, which occurred near Gate No. 1 of the Red Fort Metro Station, set multiple vehicles ablaze and shattered nearby windowpanes. The intensity was quite high, leading to widespread panic in the area.
According to Dr. BL Chaudhary, Medical Superintendent of Lok Nayak Jai Prakash Hospital (LNJP), “Eight of them died before reaching the hospital.”
Visuals from the scene earlier showed flames and thick smoke billowing from the burning cars, with several vehicles seen damaged in the aftermath of the loud explosion.
An alert has also been issued across Uttar Pradesh. The state’s ADG, Law and Order, Amitabh Yash, confirmed that the DGP has instructed all senior officers to enhance security at sensitive religious places, sensitive districts, and border areas. All security agencies and district police units in Uttar Pradesh have been put on alert. Orders have been issued from Lucknow to increase patrolling and checks in sensitive areas.
“The explosion took place in a car parked near Gate No. 1 of the Red Fort Metro Station. The intensity was quite high, and injuries are feared,” a senior Delhi Fire Service official said.
“Eight of them died before reaching the hospital, while six are severely injured. One is in stable condition,” said Dr. BL Chaudhary, Medical Superintendent, Lok Nayak Jai Prakash Hospital (LNJP).
Meanwhile, a team from the Special Cell’s NDR Unit has reached the spot and is investigating the incident, exploring the possibility of a terror angle.
The Forensic Science Laboratory (FSL) team from Rohini is also on the spot.
The Delhi Police is examining CCTV footage from nearby areas and has picked up the dump data of mobile phones active in the vicinity, as part of a massive investigation into the high-intensity blast.
The police are probing a terror angle and have identified the exploded vehicle as a Hyundai i20 car with a Haryana registration number plate.
This crucial details have prompted intensified large-scale manhunt across the National Capital Region with the Special Cell and Crime Branch conducting simultaneous raids at multiple locations to nab the suspects. Multiple teams have been pressed into service and raids are underway at several locations in Delhi and the NCR.
In a critical step to piece together the sequence of events, investigators are meticulously analysing video recordings from all available cameras while also recording the statements of eyewitnesses to the incident.
Visuals from the scene showed flames and thick smoke billowing from the burning cars. Panic spread through the area as several vehicles were seen damaged in the aftermath of the loud explosion.
The Congress described as ”deeply distressing” the car explosion on Monday near Red Fort Metro station in which eight people were killed and more than six injured, and demanded a thorough and speedy investigation into the incident.
”The news of a car explosion near Red Fort Metro Station is deeply distressing. Early reports indicate that several lives have been lost. In this hour of grief, we stand with the bereaved families and pray for the speedy recovery of the injured. The government must ensure a thorough and speedy investigation into the incident,” Congress spokesman Pawan Khera said on X.
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee expressed deep shock over the explosion.
“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,” Banerjee said on X.
