Officers from various security agencies at the blast site near the Red Fort in Delhi.
Credit: PTI Photo
A major blast took place in a parked car near Red Fort Metro Station, according to Delhi Fire Services. The blast took place in a Hyundai i20 car and Delhi Police have detained the owner of the vehicle.
The car reportedly had three occupants, and the police is probing if it was a suicide bomber attack.
On Tuesday morning, Delhi Police registered an FIR under the UAPA Act, Explosives Act.
Raids are being conducted at multiple locations by Delhi Police. The national capital has been placed on high alert with strict vigil being maintained at the airport, railway stations and bus terminals.
According to a senior police officer, an FIR has been registered at Kotwali police station under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA), the Explosives Act and sections of the BNS.
9 killed, 20 injured
The explosion killed nine people and 20 have been injured. According to preliminary reports, eight persons were declared dead, the toll overnight increased to nine.
News agency PTI reported that 20 people, including 2 women, were injured in the blast, adding that the injured were taken to the LNJP Hospital, a few kilometres away.
High alert
A high alert has been sounded in Delhi and a few other parts of the country.
Major cities like Mumbai and Bengaluru have been put on high alert after the explosion in the national capital. Red alert has also been sounded in Punjab.
"In the wake of the blast in New Delhi, a red alert has been sounded across all districts in the state of Punjab," a Punjab police department spokesperson informed PTI.
Suicide bomber attack?
A probe is underway to know if it was a suicide bomber attack.
"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 blast. We are investigating all angles," said a senior police officer.
The blast occurred hours after the recovery of around 2,900 kg of IED-making material and a cache of arms and ammunition from a Kashmiri doctor's rented accommodation in Faridabad, bordering Delhi. The police is probing whether the two developments have a link.
Govt, police look into situation
According to PTI, Delhi Police chief Satish Golcha said that the explosion happened in a slow moving vehicle near the Red Fort traffic signal around 6.52 pm, where occupants were also present.
Government sources have said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi took stock of the situation in Delhi and is also speaking to Union Home Minister Amit Shah.
Shah also visited the blast site and met the victims at the LNJP Hospital, spoke to the Delhi police chief and the director of the Intelligence Bureau to take stock of the situation.
Chandni Chowk market will stay closed on Tuesday following the blast, market association president Sanjay Bhargaw said, according to PTI.
Car details; who owned it?
The car involved in the incident was Hyundai i20 with registration number HR 26 CE 7674.
The Delhi Police detained car owner Mohd. Salman late in the evening and questioned him about the vehicle, the officer said, adding that he sold it to a person in Okhla namely Devendra one-and-a-half years ago.
Later, the vehicle was sold to someone in Ambala and it was again sold to a man named Tariq in Pulwama, and police are tracing the people, the officer said.
While the car was sold by Salman, it was learned that the buyer had not changed the registration.
Eyewitnesses speak about 'deafening' explosion
Eyewitnesses shared that the deadly explosion, heard over a wide area up to ITO, covering around two kms, was deafening and they were unable to hear anything clearly after several minutes.
Sanjay Bhargaw, whose shop is within a kilometre radius from the incident site, said an entire building shook due to the blast and there was chaos in the Chadini Chowk market as people started running in fear.
Another witness was at a nearby gurdwara when the incident unfolded. "I was at the gurdwara when I heard a loud sound. We were dumbfounded. A number of vehicles were completely damaged."
Heart-rending scenes outside hospital
Confusion and grief marked the atmosphere at the Lok Nayak Jaya Prakash (LNJP) Hospital on Monday night as families waited anxiously for word on their loved ones.
An elderly man was seen pleading with the police and hospital guards to let him inside to check on his son. He was finally allowed after a heated argument.
Mohammad Danish, the cousin of auto-rickshaw driver Sameer Khan, who was injured in the blast, said a stranger called him to inform him about the incident. "Sameer is in the ICU. We still don't know how bad his situation is," he said.
Leaders express grief
Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta condoled the loss of lives and appealed to people to maintain calm and avoid rumours. Calling the incident "extremely distressing and alarming", Gupta expressed her deepest sympathies to those who lost their loved ones.
Uttar Pradesh CM Yogi Adityanath expressed grief over the loss of lives in the blast and prayed to Lord Ram to grant peace to the departed souls. Adityanath tweeted, “The loss of lives in the unfortunate blast in Delhi today is extremely tragic. My condolences are with the bereaved families who have lost their loved ones prematurely.”
"Anguished by the loss of lives in the tragic car blast in New Delhi. My heartfelt condolences to the families who lost their loved ones. Praying for the swift recovery of the injured," BJP president and Union Health Minister J P Nadda wrote on X.
Several other leaders acknowledged the high-intensity explosion in Delhi.
(With PTI inputs)