A powerful explosion near Delhi’s Red Fort on Monday evening left at least nine people dead and 20 others injured, triggering panic in one of the capital’s busiest areas.
According to officials, the blast occurred around 6:52 p.m. near the Red Fort Metro Station when a Hyundai i20 car exploded, damaging nearby vehicles and scattering debris across the road. Eyewitnesses described scenes of chaos, with several people lying injured as emergency teams rushed to the spot.
Delhi Police have invoked the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) after initial forensic reports and intelligence inputs suggested possible terror links. A high alert has been sounded across the national capital, and security has been tightened at public places, metro stations, and government buildings.
The explosion came just hours after Jammu and Kashmir Police recovered nearly 3,000 kg of explosives from two houses in Faridabad, Haryana, based on information from a detained J&K-based doctor, Adil Rather. Among the seized materials was about 350 kg of ammonium nitrate, a common fertiliser that can be turned into an explosive substance.
Union Home Minister Amit Shah said that all angles were being investigated. “All possibilities are being explored, and a thorough investigation will be conducted, taking all options into account,” he stated.
Most of the injured have been admitted to LNJP Hospital and AIIMS Trauma Centre, where emergency helplines have been activated.
Helpline Numbers:
- LNJP Hospital: 011-23233400 | Emergency: 011-23239249
- AIIMS Trauma Centre: 011-26594405
- Delhi Police Emergency: 112
- Delhi Police Control Room: 011-22910010, 011-22910011
Security agencies are examining CCTV footage from around the Red Fort area and nearby traffic junctions to trace the sequence of events. The site has been cordoned off as bomb disposal squads and forensic teams continue their investigation.