At least eight dead in explosion near Red Fort in India’s New Delhi: local media

(Reuters): An explosion was reported near the Red Fort in the Indian capital of New Delhi on Monday, in which at least eight people were killed and at least 20 people were injured, local television channels reported.

The exact cause of the blast was being investigated, city police spokesperson Sanjay Tyagi said. However, India’s financial capital of Mumbai as well as its most populous state of Uttar Pradesh, which borders Delhi, went on high security alert after the blast, local media reported.

“Eight people have been killed in the explosion,” Tyagi said.

Mangled bodies and the wreckage of several cars could be seen on a congested street near a metro station in the old quarter of Delhi, as police poured into the area to secure it and push back gathering crowds.

Delhi Police Commissioner Satish Golcha said the blast took place minutes before 7pm (6:30pm PKT).

“A slow-moving vehicle stopped at a red light. An explosion happened in that vehicle, and due to the explosion, nearby vehicles were also damaged,” he told reporters. “The situation is being monitored."

At least six vehicles and three autorickshaws caught fire, Delhi’s deputy fire chief said, adding that the flames had been doused by firefighting teams.

“We heard a big sound, our windows shook,” one resident, who did not give a name, told NDTV.

Police tried to clear crowds that gathered around the site of the incident.

Visuals on local media showed flames and smoke billowing from more than one vehicle in what was described as a congested street located near a metro station in the old part of Delhi.

According to Indian outlet NDTV, the fire brigade was on site, while The Times of India reported that the fire caused by the explosion engulfed three to four other vehicles.

Local TV channels reported that the cities of New Delhi and Mumbai were placed on high alert.

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi published a message extending his condolences to the families of those killed in the blast on his X account.

“Condolences to those who have lost their loved ones in the blast in Delhi earlier this evening,” he wrote. “May the injured recover at the earliest. Those affected are being assisted by authorities.

“Reviewed the situation with Home Minister Amit Shah ji and other officials,” he added.

Indian Home Minister Amit Shah said that within 10 minutes of the explosion, teams from the Delhi Crime Branch and Special Branch, along with the National Security Guard (NSG) and National Investigation Agency (NIA), arrived on the scene.

“Orders have been given to examine all nearby CCTV cameras. I have also spoken to the Delhi CP and the Special Branch in-charge,” Shah said in a video statement.

“We are exploring all possibilities and will conduct a thorough investigation, taking all possibilities into account,” he said. “All options will be investigated immediately and we will present the results to the public.”

The minister added that he would visit both the incident site and the hospital in the video statement.

Earlier today, Indian media claimed that 2,900 kilogrammes of bomb-making material were seized during a raid in India’s Haryana area.

“Officials confirmed that 360kg of suspected ammonium nitrate, along with 2,900kg of IED (improvised explosive device)-making material, including chemicals, detonators, wires, and other bomb-making components, were seized,” The Times of India claimed in its report, adding that two people were arrested.

The Red Fort, known locally as Lal Qila, is a sprawling, 17th-century Mughal-era edifice melding Persian and Indian architectural styles, and is visited by tourists throughout the year.

The Indian prime minister addresses the nation from the fort’s ramparts every year on August 15, India’s Independence Day.