A blast occurred in a car near Gate 1 of the Red Fort Metro station in Delhi on Monday evening, triggering a fire that quickly spread to nearby vehicles. Several people were killed, and many others were injured.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed condolences to the families of those who lost their lives and wished a speedy recovery to the injured.
In a post on X, the Prime Minister said: “Condolences to those who have lost their loved ones in the blast in Delhi earlier this evening. May the injured recover at the earliest. Those affected are being assisted by authorities. Reviewed the situation with Home Minister Amit Shah Ji and other officials.”
Speaking to the media,
Delhi Police Commissioner Satish Golcha said: “Today at around 6.52 pm, a slow-moving vehicle stopped at the red light. An explosion happened in that vehicle. Due to the explosion, nearby vehicles were also damaged. Some people have died, and some have been injured. The situation is being monitored.”
Addresing the incident, the Home Minister said: “This evening, around 7 pm, a blast occurred in a Hyundai i20 car at the Subhash Marg traffic signal near the Red Fort in Delhi. The blast injured some pedestrians and damaged some vehicles. Preliminary reports indicate that some people have lost their lives. Within 10 minutes of receiving the information of the blast, teams from the Delhi Crime Branch and Delhi Special Branch arrived at the spot. The NSG and NIA teams, along with the FSL, have now begun a thorough investigation. Orders have been given to examine all nearby CCTV cameras.”
He added: “I have also spoken to the Delhi CP and the Special Branch in-charge. They are present at the spot. We are exploring all possibilities and will conduct a thorough investigation. All options will be examined immediately and the results will be presented to the public. I will be heading to the spot shortly and will also visit the hospital immediately.”
Eye-witnesses described the scene as shocking, with many expressing horror at the sight of casualties and body parts.
Following the incident, Delhi has been put on high alert. Authorities in several other states, including Uttar Pradesh and Maharashtra, have also issued directives to increase security and remain vigilant.
The Red Fort area is one of Delhi’s busiest and most densely populated localities, usually crowded in the evening with local markets bustling and large numbers of visitors.
More to follow.
(With agency input)