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Out to shop in Chandni Chowk, Shamli youth dies in Delhi car blast; cousin injured
Around 6pm, the cousins returned to their car, but Noman stayed back saying that he had to buy a few more items from Chandni Chowk, after which the explosion took place
21-year-old youth from Uttar Pradesh’s Shamli district, Noman had gone to Chandni Chowk along with his cousin Amaan, to pick some wholesale items for his small business. Fate, however, had other plans, as Noman was killed in the explosion which ripped through Delhi’s Red Fort area on Monday evening. Cousin Amaan had a narrow escape but sustained serious injuries.
According to family members, Noman had travelled with his cousin Amaan on the advice of his father, Imran, to purchase wholesale cosmetic items for their small business. The duo was driven to Delhi by Virassat, a driver from Jhijhana. After parking their car near the ISBT area around 10:30am, the two headed to Sadar Bazaar for shopping.
By evening, their shopping was nearly done. Around 6pm, the cousins returned to their car, but Noman stayed back saying that he had to buy a few more items from Chandni Chowk.
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Virassat advised them to postpone the journey citing heavy traffic but both insisted to continue with their journey.
Within minutes of leaving, a powerful explosion near Red Fort took place.
Virassat recalled, “When they didn’t return even after an hour and a half, I called Noman’s father. He asked me to check where they were. I took an e-rickshaw towards Chandni Chowk, and soon saw police barricades, chaos and panic everywhere. People were shouting that there had been a massive blast, like a missile had hit. Smoke, confusion, and cries filled the air. No one could understand what was happening.”
The driver said the blast site was about three kilometers away from their parking spot.
“If Noman and Amaan listened to me, perhaps this tragedy wouldn’t have happened. And if I had gone with them, maybe I wouldn’t be alive today either”, he said.
The people at Noman’s village remembered him as a bright, hardworking, and affectionate young man. He was the sole bread earner for his family which included old parents and four sisters. His elder brother Farmaan is a kidney patient.
Relatives demanded that the state and central leadership provide the affected family with adequate compensation.
Deputy superintendent of police (DSP) Shyam Singh said, “We have not yet received any formal update from the Delhi Police. The family was informed by the authorities in Delhi”.
“Family members are in process to bring the body to Shamli for last rites”, he said.
Security arrangements have been strengthened across central and north Delhi, particularly in the Chandni Chowk, Red Fort, and Daryaganj areas, a day after an explosion in a car near the historic Red Fort during the evening rush hour killed at least eight people and injured 21.
