Eight people are dead and 19 injured after a car exploded near Delhi’s Red Fort, and police have reportedly detained the vehicle’s registered owner for questioning. This is the first major development in the investigation into the blast, which rocked a busy street on Monday night.
The explosion occurred just before 7 pm as a car was stopped at a red light. The blast was so powerful that it sparked a fire, destroying over a dozen other vehicles, including cars, rickshaws, and motorcycles. Delhi Police Commissioner Satish Golcha confirmed the death toll and said the situation is being closely monitored.
Home Minister Amit Shah, who visited the blast site, stated that it is too early to determine the cause. “It is difficult to say what caused the incident until the samples recovered from the blast site are analysed,” he said, adding that “all angles” are being investigated. The federal Home Ministry, which controls the Delhi Police, is leading the probe.
Witnesses described a scene of “chaos,” with footage showing a car with its doors blown off and people screaming in panic. One resident, Om Prakash Gupta, reported seeing “body parts all over” the road. Another witness recounted the “very strong explosion” and saw a hand on the road.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi has offered his condolences to the victims’ families. The incident has prompted a high alert for major train stations, the city of Mumbai, and the state of Uttar Pradesh. This is the deadliest blast in Delhi since 2011.
