At least Eight Dead as Massive Blast Rocks Area Near Red Fort

Delhi : A powerful explosion took place near the historic Red Fort on Monday evening, leaving at least eight people dead and several injured, triggering panic in the heart of the national capital and prompting authorities to declare high alerts across  Delhi.

According to the police officials, the blast originated from a car parked near the Red Fort metro Station, close to  Gate No. 1, around 7:00 p.m. The area is typically crowded with commuters and tourists. The explosion was so intense that it engulfed several vehicles in flames and shattered the windows of nearby shops and buildings.

Delhi police confirmed that eight people have been declared dead so far, while rescue teams continue to search the area amid fears that more victims may be trapped. The cause of the explosion is yet to be determined, and forensic experts have been called to the site.

DCP Manoj Meena said, “We received a call about a vehicle explosion near the Red Fort metro entrance . Rescue operations were initiated immediately. The cause of the blast is under investigation “.

Firefighters and emergency response teams rushed to the scene and managed to bring the blaze under control after nearly an hour of effort. At least three cars and two motorbikes were completely gutted in the fire. The injured were taken to Lok Nayak and Aruna Asif Ali hospitals.

The explosion sent plumes of smoke billowing into the sky, creating panic in the busy Chandni Chowk area. Eyewitnesses described scenes of chaos as people ran for safety.

“I was driving my auto when the car in front of me, a Swift, exploded. The next thing I knew, there was fire everywhere “, said an injured eyewitness who suffered a wound on his forehead.

Another witness, who was inside a nearby gurudwara at the time, said the explosion was so loud that it shook the entire area. “Windows shattered, and vehicles nearby were destroyed “, he recalled.

Sanjay Bhargaw, President of the Chandni Chowk Traders Association, said his shop, located nearly 800 metres from the site, trembled due to the force of the blast.

“People in the market were terrified; everyone started running, ” he added.

Police have cordoned off the area and declared a high alert across the city. Senior officials from Delhi Police and Fire services are at the site, overseeing rescue and investigation efforts.

Authorities are examining CCTV footage and have launched a probe to ascertain whether the explosion was accidental or a deliberate act.

Delhi Police Commissioner Satish Golcha reached the spot that day. He said,
“At around 6:52 p.m. this evening, a car moving slowly near a red light came to a halt. The vehicle exploded, and the blast damaged several nearby vehicles as well. All agencies — FSL, NIA — are present here… A few people have died in the incident, and some others are injured. The situation is being closely monitored. The Home Minister has also called us, and we are sharing updates with him from time to time.”

It has been reported that there were multiple people inside the car, which was an i20 model.

Notably, as the day progressed, reports began to emerge from across the country about multiple arrests on suspicion of terrorism. Just yesterday, several individuals were arrested in Ahmedabad on terror-related suspicions. Early this morning, more people were detained from Faridabad, near Delhi. Most of them are doctors.

Today, Kashmir Police had arrested a doctor in Srinagar for allegedly pasting posters in support of the Pakistani terrorist group Jaish-e-Mohammed. Following that, today, the Jammu and Kashmir Police announced that after the Faridabad arrests, a total of 2,900 kg of explosives had been recovered. The issue of ammonium nitrate also came to light, along with discussions about a “white-collar ecosystem.” Another shocking detail surfaced — an assault rifle found inside a female doctor’s car.

As evening fell, news broke of an explosion near Delhi’s Red Fort. Since then, questions have been raised — was this incident linked to terrorism? Multiple media reports have started surfacing around that possibility.

Investigators linked the Red Fort Metro blast, which killed eight, to a white Hyundai i20 owned by Pulwama doctor Umar Mohammed. He’s connected to a terror network whose members were arrested in Faridabad, where explosives similar to those used in the blast were recovered. Police are actively searching for Mohammed.