A rare and powerful car explosion near the iconic Red Fort in the densely populated Old Delhi area on Monday evening resulted in the deaths of at least eight people and injured at least 20 others, according to TV reports.
The blast occurred in the heavily guarded Indian capital, which has a population of over 30 million. The explosion happened just minutes before 7:00 PM (1330 GMT). Near the Red Fort, a major tourist site, on a congested street close to a metro station.
Delhi Police Commissioner Satish Golcha stated that a slow-moving vehicle stopped at a red light, and an explosion happened within that vehicle, causing damage to nearby cars. At least six vehicles and three auto-rickshaws caught fire, with mangled wreckage visible at the scene. The exact cause of the blast is currently being investigated by federal and state investigative agencies, according to police spokesperson Sanjay Tyagi.
Following the incident, India's financial hub Mumbai and the populous state of Uttar Pradesh (which borders Delhi) were placed on a high-security alert. Federal Home Minister Amit Shah was briefed on the incident. Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed his condolences on X, stating that he had reviewed the situation and that authorities were assisting those affected. Police immediately cordoned off the entire area after firefighting teams extinguished the flames.
Witnesses described a scene of chaos and intensity. Suman Mishra, near the metro station, reported hearing a loud explosion and seeing a fire, causing people to run "helter-skelter." Wali Ur Rehman, sitting at his shop, said the explosion's impact was so intense it caused him to fall.
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