New Delhi | A high-intensity explosion ripped through a slow-moving car at a traffic signal near the Red Fort metro station on Monday evening, killing at least eight people and gutting several vehicles, officials said.
Twenty-four people were injured in the blast that took place on a busy evening when the area was milling with people. The injured were taken to the LNJP hospital, a few kilometres away.
Delhi Police Commissioner Satish Golcha said the car, in which the blast took place, had some occupants.
According to a senior police officer, "The blast occurred in a moving Hyundai i20 car in which three people were sitting. We have not found any pellet or puncture in the body of the injured, which is unusual in a bomb blast. We are investigating all angles."
Police sources said the car was registered in the name of one Nadeem Khan and bore a Haryana number plate.
A high alert has been sounded in Delhi, and security has been beefed up at city border points, with vehicle checking intensified.
Panic gripped the area as fire billowed from burning cars following the explosion.
Videos shared by the Chandni Chowk Traders' Association revealed the magnitude of the blast. A mangled body could be seen lying on a vehicle, while another clip showed a body on the road. Eyewitnesses said body parts could be seen scattered near the blast site.
Ten fire tenders were rushed to the spot as police cordoned off the area, the Delhi Fire Services said. The blaze caused by the blast was brought under control by 7.29 pm, officials said.
Golcha told reporters that Union Home Minister Amit Shah is being regularly briefed about the incident.
"There was a blast around 6.52 pm in a slow-moving vehicle at a traffic signal near the Red Fort metro station. There were passengers inside the vehicle. Other vehicles got affected. All agencies -- Delhi Police, Forensic Science Laboratory, National Investigation Agency (NIA), National Security Guard (NSG) -- have arrived and they are taking stock of the situation," he said.
Shah spoke to the Delhi police chief and the director of the Intelligence Bureau to take stock of the situation. He directed the chiefs of the NSG, NIA and forensic sciences to send expert teams to the blast site to assist the probe and collect evidence.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi also took stock of the situation and expressed condolences over the deaths.
No terror outfit has so far claimed responsibility for the attack.
Police are scanning CCTV footage to determine the route of the vehicle before the blast occurred. They are questioning locals and asking eyewitnesses to share information about any suspicious activity in the lead-up to the incident.
Mobile dump data are being gathered, and dossiers of suspected terrorists are being scanned.
According to a fire department official, six cars, two e-rickshaws and one autorickshaw were gutted in the fire.
The blast was so powerful that it shattered the window panes of vehicles parked several metres away, and the sound was heard at ITO, a few kilometres from the site.
A person injured in the incident said the explosion appeared to have originated from a car. Another witness said, "I was at the gurdwara when I heard a loud sound. We were dumbfounded. A number of vehicles were completely damaged."
Meanwhile, Prime Minister Narendra Modi took stock of the situation and spoke with Home Minister Amit Shah, government sources said.
In the aftermath of the incident, the Chandni Chowk market will be closed on Tuesday, said market president Sanjay Bhargaw.
Bhargaw's shop is about 800 metres away from the incident site. He said the entire building shook due to the blast.
There was chaos in the market as people started running, he shared.
The blast in Delhi occurred hours after the recovery of around 360 kg of suspected ammonium nitrate and a cache of arms and ammunition from a Kashmiri doctor's rented accommodation in Faridabad, bordering Delhi.
Haryana Police, in coordination with their Jammu and Kashmir counterparts, arrested Dr Muzammil Ganaie from Faridabad's Dhauj area.
New Delhi | Soon after a car explosion near the Red Fort killing at least eight people, Delhi Police commissioner Satish Golcha on Monday said the blast took place in a slow-moving vehicle near the Red Fort traffic signal.
Talking to reporters at the blast site, he confirmed multiple deaths and injuries, and said Union Home Minister Amit Shah was being regularly briefed about the incident.
"There was a blast around 6.52 pm in a slow moving vehicle near Red Fort. There were passengers inside the vehicle," Golcha said, adding other vehicles were damaged in the incident.
Earlier, officials said that the explosion happened inside a parked car.
The police commissioner said all agencies, including Delhi Police, forensic team, NIA, NSG, are taking stock of the situation.
"Some deaths happened, few people got injured. The situation is being regularly monitored. The home minister is being regularly briefed," he said.
A high-intensity explosion occurred near the Red Fort metro station on Monday evening, gutting several vehicles and killing at least eight people, officials said.
Twenty-four people were injured in the blast that took place at a time when the area was milling with people. The injured were taken to the LNJP hospital a few kilometres away.
Ahmedabad | All police units in Gujarat have been asked to remain alert and increase patrolling as a precautionary measure in view of an explosion in a car in Delhi which killed at least eight people on Monday evening, officials said.
As a precautionary measure, all police units have been asked to remain alert in view of the Delhi blast incident, Gujarat Director General of Police Vikas Sahay told PTI.
"Every police unit has been asked to be vigilant and increase patrolling in their respective regions" he said.
Following the DGP's directive, police in all the major cities and districts in Gujarat have swung into action, officials said.
Security has been beefed up at vital installations like railway stations, and police teams have started conducting foot patrolling, Surat police commissioner Anupam Singh Gehlot said.
"There is no need to panic. I appeal to people to inform police if they spot any suspicious person in their area. Our police teams are on the ground at present. They have started checking vehicles on roads, especially those entering or leaving the airport. We are taking all possible precautionary steps," said Gehlot.
A high-intensity explosion ripped through a car parked near the Red Fort metro station in Delhi on Monday evening, gutting several vehicles and killing at least eight people, officials said.
Twenty-four people were injured in the blast that took place on a busy evening when the area was milling with people. The injured were taken to the LNJP hospital a few kilometres away.
Experts of the NSG and investigators of the NIA have rushed to the blast site, sources said. The NSG team comprised explosive experts, while the NIA team consisted of investigators experienced in terror cases. A team of forensic experts has also rushed to the spot, sources said.
Videos shared by the Chandni Chowk Traders' Association showed the magnitude of the blast. A body could be seen lying on a vehicle.
Another video showed a body lying on the road. Eyewitnesses said body parts could be seen scattered near the blast site.
A high alert has been sounded in Delhi. Ten fire tenders were rushed to the spot with police cordoning off the area, the Delhi Fire Services said. The fire, officials said, was brought under control by 7.29 pm.
New Delhi | Security arrangements would be beefed up in and around the capital's Arun Jaitley Stadium for the final day of the Ranji Trophy Group D match between Delhi and Jammu and Kashmir following a high-intensity blast near the Red Fort, which is just kilometres away from the stadium here.
"Security to be beefed up near Feroz Shah Kotla Stadium (renamed Arun Jaitley Stadium) on the final day of the Ranji Trophy match between Delhi and Janmu & Kashmir," Delhi & District Cricket Association (DDCA) secretary Ashok Sharma told PTI on Monday.
"I would be getting in touch with Delhi Police authorities and request them to deploy additional security outside the stadium premises," he added.
A high-intensity explosion ripped through a car parked near the Red Fort metro station on Monday evening, gutting several vehicles and killing at least eight people.
Twenty-four people were reported injured in the blast that took place on a busy evening when the area was milling with people.
New Delhi | The Chandni Chowk market will be closed on Tuesday following a powerful blast near the Red Fort that killed at least eight people and injured 24 others, the market association said.
"The shops in Chandni Chowk will be closed on Tuesday as there is fear among traders after the blast," said Sanjay Bhargaw, president of the Chandni Chowk Traders Association.
Bhargaw, whose shop is a few hundred metres from the blast site, said the explosion was so strong that their entire building shook. "There was chaos in the market as people started running," he said.
Following the incident, several traders' associations have sought increased security arrangements in crowded commercial areas.
The New Delhi Traders' Association (NDTA) said several abandoned cars are parked in Connaught Place inner circle parking lots.
"The parking lots are full of illegal hawkers' goods being used as storehouses. Pedestrian corridors are blocked by big stalls, leaving little room for movement or escape during emergencies. We have requested the NDMC enforcement wing and Delhi Police to take immediate action," Atul Bhargav of the NDTA said.
A high-intensity explosion ripped through a car near the Red Fort on Monday evening, killing at least eight people and injuring 24 others.
A high alert has been sounded across the capital. Ten fire tenders were rushed to the spot and police has cordoned off the area.