Red Fort Metro Blast Kills Nine; Police Launch Terror Probe
A massive explosion near Gate No. 1 of the Red Fort Metro Station in Delhi on Monday evening killed nine people and injured at least twenty others. The blast, which occurred around 6:52 pm, caused widespread panic in the crowded Chandni Chowk area, where thousands of people were out for evening shopping.
Eyewitnesses described the explosion as extremely powerful, saying the sky turned red and the ground shook like an earthquake. Many people fell during the chaos as they rushed to escape the area. “It was a huge fireball. Body parts were scattered on the road. I have never seen anything like this,” said Sumit Singh, a visitor from Ghaziabad who was shopping nearby.
The explosion took place near a slow-moving Hyundai i20 car with a Haryana number plate. The car was destroyed, and several nearby vehicles — including six cars, two e-rickshaws, and an autorickshaw — were burnt. Fire tenders reached the spot quickly and brought the blaze under control by 7:30 pm. Forensic teams from the Delhi Police, NIA, and NSG later inspected the site.
The impact of the blast was strong enough to shatter the windows of vehicles parked several metres away. The sound was reportedly heard as far as ITO. Videos shared by local traders’ groups showed damaged vehicles and injured people lying on the road. Most shops in Chandni Chowk immediately shut down as people tried to leave the area.
Among the victims was Ashok Kumar, a Delhi Transport Corporation conductor who also worked as a security guard at night to support his family of eight. He was on his way to meet a relative near Chandni Chowk Metro Station when the blast occurred. Another victim, Amar Kataria, a pharmacist from Sriniwaspuri, was returning home after closing his shop in Bhagirath Palace.
Police have registered a case under the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act (UAPA) after initial forensic evidence suggested possible terror links. The timing of the blast has raised concern, especially as nearly 2,900 kg of explosives were recovered in neighbouring Faridabad earlier the same day.
Authorities are now exploring all possibilities and scanning CCTV footage to identify how the explosive-laden vehicle reached the busy spot. With wedding season crowding the markets, security has been tightened across Delhi.
