2 bullet cartridges found at Red Fort

The discovery comes just eight days before Prime Minister Narendra Modi is scheduled to address the nation from the fort on Independence Day.

Two old bullet cartridges and a circuit board were recovered from the Red Fort premises on Friday during an advanced combing operation by security agencies, police officers aware of the matter said. The discovery comes just eight days before Prime Minister Narendra Modi is scheduled to address the nation from the fort on Independence Day.

The Red Fort has been under the control of security agencies since mid-July.

A first information report (FIR) under relevant sections of the Arms Act was registered at Kotwali police station against unidentified persons, and investigators are now trying to determine how these items made their way into the heavily guarded monument, police said.

The Red Fort has been under the control of security agencies since mid-July, with public access shut from around July 15 as part of heightened security measures in the run-up to August 15 – when PM Modi is scheduled to hoist the Tricolour and address the nation from the ramparts of the historic Mughal-era fort.

Deputy commissioner of police (north) Raja Banthia confirmed the registration of the FIR and said investigations were underway.

According to one officer, who asked not to be named, the cartridges – one 9mm and another .315 calibre – were found near the fort’s western wall. “They appeared old and partially rusted. The bullets have been sent to a forensic lab to determine how long they had been there and whether they had been used,” the officer said.

The circuit board may have been part of older lighting equipment used during previous events at the fort. However, investigators are not ruling out the possibility of sabotage or mischief, the officer added.

This incident follows at least two other security concerns reported from the Red Fort in the past week.

In one case, members of the Delhi Police’s Special Cell reportedly carried a dummy bomb into the Red Fort during a surprise security preparedness drill. The dummy device passed through a door-frame metal detector without being detected, prompting the suspension of seven police personnel posted at the spot. A senior officer said the lapse raised concerns about the effectiveness of security deployment at the site.

In another incident earlier this week, five Bangladeshi nationals were caught attempting to enter the Red Fort using forged identity documents.