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Covered in blood, auto driver drove himself to hospital: Moment Red Fort blast happened
As the explosion rocked the city, bystanders had little time to think. Some of those severely injured drove themselves to nearby hospitals.
‘Cylinder fat gaya hai,’ yelled a factory worker as an explosion in a slow-moving vehicle near Red Fort killed eight people and left 20 others injured in Delhi on Monday. Investigators said that the white Hyundai i20, which exploded near the historic Red Fort, had been parked for almost two hours before the blast. The cause of the explosion is still under investigation.
As the explosion rocked the city, bystanders had little time to think. Some of those severely injured drove themselves to nearby hospitals. (Follow live updates related to the blast here).
Avdhesh Mandal
Forty-year-old Avdhesh Mandal, an autorickshaw driver, was one such man who waited for no help. With a piece of metal lodged in his abdomen and his shirt covered in blood, he got into his own vehicle and drove over four kilometres to reach Sushruta Medical Centre, as reported by Hindustan Times earlier.
Originally from Bihar and living in south Delhi’s Nehru Nagar, Mandal shared a rented flat with close friends. Six of them rushed to the hospital as soon as they heard the news.
While Mandal was in the operating theatre, his friends and family waited outside.
Here are some more cases:
Mohammad Safwan
In Delhi from Chennai on a short work visit, the 28-year-old was travelling towards Kashmere Gate from a transport office when the explosion occurred. The force of the blast threw him off the rickshaw he was travelling in.
Speaking to HT, his father said, “He called us using someone else’s phone and said he was injured… He reached the hospital on his own and has hurt his legs. He’s stable — that’s all we know so far.”
Sameer Khan
Twenty-three-year-old Khan had finished his shift and was on his way to meet his younger brother when the explosion took place. A few minutes later, his brother Javed received a call from an unknown number. “The person said Sameer was in the ICU at Lok Nayak Hospital with burns to his face,” Javed told HT.
By the time he reached, the hospital corridors were in chaos as doctors moved quickly between wards, security was being tightened for VIP visits, and worried families were crowding against barricades. “We don’t know where his auto is or what happened to his belongings,” Javed said, standing near the ICU entrance.
Delhi Red Fort blast
Delhi Police on Tuesday registered an FIR under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act and the Explosives Act in connection with the blast near Red Fort.
The national capital has been placed on high alert and strict vigil is being maintained at the airport, railway stations, and bus terminals.
On Monday evening, two men who were previous owners of the car, identified as Salman and Devender, were detained after the blast. In a briefing following the explosion, union home minister Amit Shah said the incident was being investigated “taking all possibilities into account,” adding that the results would be presented before the public.
