India’s capital is on high alert after a car explosion killed at least eight people and injured 19 others in a busy area of Old Delhi. The blast, which occurred near the historic Red Fort, has prompted authorities to heighten security in the financial capital Mumbai, the neighboring state of Uttar Pradesh, and large train stations across the country. The federal Home Ministry, which controls the Delhi Police, is overseeing the response.
The explosion took place on Monday evening at a red light just outside the Red Fort metro station. Police Commissioner Satish Golcha stated that a slow-moving car stopped at the light before it “suddenly exploded.” The blast was powerful, igniting a fire that consumed over a dozen other vehicles, including rickshaws and motorcycles, and caused panic in the congested area.
Home Minister Amit Shah traveled to the blast site to review the situation. He cautioned against premature conclusions, stating that the cause of the incident would remain unclear “until the samples recovered from the blast site are analysed.” However, he affirmed a determined investigation, noting, “We do not consider any angle closed. We will investigate all angles.” The registered owner of the car involved has reportedly been detained for questioning.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed his condolences to the families of the victims. In a post on X, he said he was reviewing the situation with the Home Minister and that “those affected are being assisted by authorities.” The focus remains on treating the injured, who have been admitted to a government hospital, and securing the capital against any further threats.
This incident marks the most significant blast in Delhi in over a decade. The city faced a series of blasts in the 1980s and 1990s, often in crowded public places. The last major incident was a briefcase explosion outside the Delhi High Court in 2011, which killed about a dozen people. This new tragedy has brought back concerns about security in the bustling capital.