Blast Near Delhi’s Red Fort Leaves 8 Dead, Dozens Injured
Blast Near Delhi’s Red Fort Leaves 8 Dead, Dozens Injured (Photo: Pixabay)

A car explosion near the historic Red Fort in India's capital killed at least eight people and injured around 20 others Monday evening, prompting heightened security measures in Delhi and major cities including Mumbai and across neighboring Uttar Pradesh, officials said.

The blast occurred shortly before 7 p.m. local time near the Red Fort metro station, a crowded transit and tourist hub in Old Delhi. Delhi Police spokesperson Sanjay Tyagi confirmed the fatalities, stating, "Eight people have been killed in the explosion," and added that the cause remains under investigation.

Delhi Police Commissioner Satish Golcha told reporters the explosion originated in a slow-moving vehicle that had stopped at a traffic light. "A slow-moving vehicle stopped at a red light. An explosion happened in that vehicle, and due to the explosion, nearby vehicles were also damaged," Golcha said. "The situation is being monitored."

Local news outlets broadcast images of twisted metal and burned-out vehicles scattered across the busy roadway. New Delhi's deputy fire chief reported that six vehicles and three auto-rickshaws caught fire before emergency crews extinguished the flames.

 

Residents described the shockwave reverberating through the densely packed neighborhood. One witness told NDTV, "We heard a big sound, our windows shook," as crowds rushed toward the street before police pushed them back and cordoned off the area.

The Red Fort, a 17th-century Mughal-era complex and UNESCO World Heritage site, stands as one of India's most symbolic national landmarks. The Prime Minister delivers the annual Independence Day address from its ramparts each August 15.

Local media reported that heightened security alerts were issued in Mumbai and across Uttar Pradesh following the blast. Authorities have not yet identified any suspects or established whether the incident was accidental or deliberate.

Independent journalist Amit Baruah told Al Jazeera that the area is "one of the most crowded parts of the city," making it "vulnerable" to such incidents. "It shatters the calm of the capital city after a long time," he said, adding that the event is likely to raise wider public anxiety.