At least eight people died and several were injured in a powerful explosion that tore through a car parked near the Red Fort Metro Station on Monday evening, setting several other vehicles ablaze, officials said.
Delhi Police chief Satish Golcha told reporters that he is in touch with the union home minister Amit Shah and is briefing him regularly on the explosion.
“Today, at around 6.52 PM, a slow-moving vehicle stopped at the red light. An explosion happened in that vehicle, and due to the explosion, nearby vehicles were also damaged,” the commissioner said.
"All agencies, FSL, NIA, are here... Some people have died, and some have been injured in the incident. The situation is being monitored. The Home Minister has also called us, and information is being shared with him from time to time," Golcha added.
The blast occurred in a car near Gate Number 1 of the Metro station, after which three to four other vehicles also caught fire and sustained damage. Eight people have been confirmed to have died in the explosion, while 12 others have been injured.
According to a senior Delhi police official, the explosion happened in a moving car on the road.
{{/usCountry}}According to a senior Delhi police official, the explosion happened in a moving car on the road.
{{/usCountry}}“There is no crater at the spot, so we cannot say if it is a bomb blast. Also, no pellet/splinter injuries have been reported till now, which is the most common in bomb blasts. The car, which was the source of the explosion, had two to three occupants. Mangled. Forensic teams are collecting samples,” the official said.
HM Amit Shah also briefed the media, stating that all angles will be thoroughly probed.
“This evening, around 7 PM, a blast occurred in a Hyundai i20 car at the Subhash Marg traffic signal near the Red Fort in Delhi. The blast injured some pedestrians and damaged some vehicles. Preliminary reports indicate that some people have lost their lives. Within 10 minutes of receiving the information about the blast, teams from the Delhi Crime Branch and Delhi Special Branch arrived at the spot. The NSG and NIA teams, along with the FSL, have now begun a thorough investigation. Orders have been given to examine all nearby CCTV cameras,” he said in a press conference..
I have also spoken to the Delhi CP and the Special Branch in charge. The Delhi CP and the Special Branch in charge are present at the spot. We are exploring all possibilities and will conduct a thorough investigation, taking all possibilities into account. All options will be thoroughly investigated, and the results will be presented to the public promptly. I will be heading to the spot shortly and will also visit the hospital immediately," he said.
According to the Delhi Fire Services, the explosion triggered fires in three to four vehicles. Seven fire tenders were rushed to the spot as police cordoned off the area and issued a high alert across the city.
Delhi Police has restricted Entry and exit of Gate numbers 1 & 4 at Lal Qila. However, Delhi Metro services are running normally throughout the entire network.