“The car, which was the source of the blast, had two to three occupants and was completely mangled,” a senior Delhi Police official said. Soon after a powerful explosion ripped through a car near the Red Fort Metro Station on Monday evening, killing at least eight people and injuring 24 others, senior Delhi Police officials said it was too early to confirm whether it was a bomb blast.
A senior officer told Hindustan Times, “The explosion happened in a moving car on the road. There is no crater at the spot, so we cannot say if it is a bomb blast. Also, no pellet or splinter injuries have been reported so far, which are common in bomb explosions. “The car, which was the source of the blast, had two to three occupants and was completely mangled. Forensic teams are collecting samples” the official added.
Another senior Special Cell officer told HT, “No nails, no splinters, no shrapnel, no wires, no chemicals found. No suspicious debris found.” The explosion, which occurred near Gate No 1 of the Red Fort Metro Station, triggered a massive fire that engulfed several vehicles. According to officials, six cars, two e-rickshaws and one autorickshaw were gutted. Ten fire tenders were rushed to the spot, and the blaze was brought under control by 7.29 pm.
Panic gripped the busy area as thick plumes of smoke billowed into the air. Eyewitness videos circulated by the Chandni Chowk Traders’ Association showed charred vehicles and bodies lying on the road. “The blast was so loud that it felt like an earthquake. Our building, nearly 800 metres away, shook,” said Sanjay Bhargaw, the association’s president. The National Investigation Agency (NIA) has joined the probe, while Delhi Police and forensic experts are examining remains of the car to determine the cause. A high alert has been sounded across the capital.
The explosion comes just hours after Haryana Police, working with Jammu and Kashmir counterparts, arrested Dr Muzammil Ganaie – a Kashmiri doctor – from Faridabad and seized about 360 kg of suspected ammonium nitrate, arms, ammunition and timers from his rented house.
