‘Felt like an earthquake…body parts scattered’: Witnesses on Delhi blast that left at least 8 dead

At least eight people have been killed and at least 18 injured after a high-intensity explosion ripped through a car near the Red Fort in Delhi on Monday evening. The blast, which occurred around 6.52 pm at a traffic signal in a crowded area, set off panic and caused extensive damage to nearby vehicles.

Speaking to the media, Delhi police commissioner Satish Golcha said that a “slow-moving vehicle stopped at the red light” at around 6.52 pm near the Red Fort. “An explosion happened in that vehicle, and due to the explosion, nearby vehicles were also damaged. All agencies, FSL, NIA, are here,” Golcha said. He added that the situation is constantly being monitored.

Union home minister Amit Shah told ANI, “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 of the blast, teams from the Delhi Crime Branch and Delhi Special Branch arrived at the spot.”

Shah said that NSG and NIA teams, along with the FSL, have now begun a thorough investigation. “Orders have been given to examine all nearby CCTV cameras. 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 investigated immediately and we will present the results to the public. I will be heading to the spot shortly and will also visit the hospital immediately.”

Mumbai, Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Rajasthan, and border regions with Nepal have reportedly been placed on high alert. The Central Industrial Security Force announced heightened security at the Delhi Metro, Indira Gandhi International Airport, and other vital installations in the Capital.

Fire officials received a call shortly after the explosion and brought the blaze under control by 7.29 pm, according to Deputy Chief Fire Officer A K Malik. Several nearby vehicles were severely damaged. “We sent seven fire tenders. We had doused the fire by 7.29 pm…6 cars, 2 e-rickshaws, 1 auto rickshaw were involved. We feared for casualties, we got information from LNJP hospital that eight were brought dead, and 18 are injured.”

Witnesses recall horror

Meanwhile, near the spot where the blast occurred, all shops are shut, including in Chandni Chowk. The area has been cordoned off. The market will stay closed on Tuesday, as per the market association. 

“At first, it seemed like a gas cylinder had exploded, but within seconds, flames started coming out of the car and other vehicles also caught fire,” one eyewitness told Newslaundry.

Another, who lives near the blast site, said it was a powerful explosion. “It felt like an earthquake…body parts flew through the air,” said Vicky.

Deep Kishore, a 21-year-old who works at an LED light repair shop in the vicinity, showed Newslaundry several videos he had recorded on his phone, including one that has been widely circulated on social media. “Shops trembled. Tin sheets shattered. I went to see…bodies were scattered on the ground…three cars exploded…I helped out the injured. One person had a rod through his thigh. It was heavily crowded…It left me terrified.”   

At the LNJP Hospital, where the casualties and those injured were brought in, there was a heavy security presence. The area was cordoned off with restrictions on entry. Shah and top officers visited the spot. 

Reactions have poured in from across the political spectrum.

Congress MP Rahul Gandhi has called the explosion near the Red Fort in Delhi “deeply saddening and concerning.” “The loss of many innocent lives in this tragic accident is deeply distressing,” Gandhi said in a post on X.

“I stand with the bereaved families who lost their loved ones in this tragic time and offer my deepest condolences. I hope all the injured recover as soon as possible,” he added.

Aam Aadmi Party national convener Arvind Kejriwal has called the explosion in a vehicle near the Red Fort in Delhi “extremely alarming.” The news of the explosion near the Red Fort is extremely alarming. It is reported that some people have also lost their lives in it, which is extremely tragic," Kejriwal said in a post on X.

Kejriwal further urged the police and government to “immediately investigate” the cause of the explosion, and to probe whether there was any “conspiracy” behind it.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi reviewed the situation. “Condolences to those who have lost their loved ones in the blast in Delhi earlier this evening. 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.”

With inputs from Ashish Anand, Anmol Pritam, Avdhesh Kumar and Samarth Grover.

This is a developing story.