Delhi Red Fort Blast Kills Eight, Investigation Underway

News Desk 

New Delhi: A deadly explosion near the historic Red Fort in Delhi on Monday evening has claimed at least eight lives and injured around 20 others, leaving the nation in shock and prompting a high-level security review by the Indian government.

The blast occurred at 18:52 local time (13:22 GMT) when a slow-moving car stopped at a traffic signal near the 17th-century monument, one of Delhi’s most visited historic sites.

The resulting explosion reduced nearby vehicles to twisted wreckage, prompting authorities to immediately secure the area. The Red Fort has been closed for three days, and traffic restrictions have been imposed as investigators comb through the debris.

Among the victims was Lokesh Agrawal, a father of three from Amroha city in neighbouring Uttar Pradesh. According to his brother, Sonu Agrawal, Lokesh had been visiting a relative in a Delhi hospital and was near the Red Fort metro station when the blast occurred.

“When we called his phone, a policeman picked up and informed us about the incident,” Sonu said. Another victim, Ashok Kumar, a bus conductor with the Delhi Transport Corporation, was returning home after completing his duty. Ashok, 26–27, is survived by three children, his brother Devendra Kumar confirmed.

Read More: https://thepenpk.com/typhoon-fung-wong-death-toll-reaches-18-in-philippines/

Delhi police have so far identified six of the eight victims. Post-mortems have been completed on five, while the injured continue to receive treatment. Raja Banthia, a senior police official, said, “We are in the process of identifying all those who have died, and investigations are ongoing.” No shrapnel has been found at the site so far, and authorities have not officially confirmed the cause of the explosion.

Indian Defence Minister Rajnath Singh assured that the perpetrators “will not be spared under any circumstances”, emphasizing that the country’s top investigative agencies are probing the incident.

Similarly, Home Minister Amit Shah is chairing a high-level security review meeting with senior officials, including the Home Secretary, the Director of the Intelligence Bureau, the Director General of the National Investigation Agency, and the Delhi Police Commissioner.

Cases have been registered under the anti-terror Unlawful Activities Prevention Act (UAPA) and the Explosives Act, though the reason for registering these cases has not been publicly disclosed.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi extended condolences to the families of those killed and reviewed the situation with Home Minister Shah and other officials before departing for Bhutan on a scheduled visit. Visuals from the site on the morning after the explosion revealed extensive damage, with investigators combing through debris and securing the area to prevent further incidents.

As authorities continue their probe, security has been tightened across Delhi and neighbouring areas. Officials are “exploring all possibilities” regarding the cause of the blast, reflecting the uncertainty and caution surrounding the investigation.

Meanwhile, families of the victims mourn their loss, highlighting the human toll of the tragedy at one of India’s most symbolic landmarks.