Devastating Explosion Near Delhi's Red Fort Kills 8 and Injures 24: Full Incident Report

Delhi Police sources informed NDTV that the explosion potentially occurred in a Hyundai i20 car

New Delhi:

The explosion near Delhi's historic Red Fort this evening killed eight people and injured 24 with such tremendous force that a car door was propelled almost 100 metres from the blast site, according to officials.

The blast shattered windows in the vicinity, scattered debris across the roadway, and severely damaged multiple vehicles.

In a statement to reporters, Delhi Police Commissioner Satish Golcha said, "Today at 6.52 pm a slow-moving vehicle stopped at the red light. An explosion happened in that vehicle and, due to the explosion, nearby vehicles were also damaged. Some people have died and some have been injured."

"The situation is being monitored. Home Minister (Amit Shah) called us.. " he added.

Witnesses described seeing a "massive fireball" followed by thick black smoke rising above the Red Fort area.

One resident told NDTV, "I saw a huge fireball from my terrace, and came running down to see what happened. The explosion was very loud. My house is near the gurdwara."

Mumbai, Kolkata, Jaipur, Haryana, Hyderabad, Uttar Pradesh, and Uttarakhand have been placed on high alert, along with Bihar, which is scheduled to hold the second and final round of polling tomorrow.

PM Modi wrote on social media platform X, "Condolences to those who have lost their loved ones in the blast in Delhi earlier this evening. May the injured recover at the earliest. Those affected are being assisted by authorities. Reviewed the situation with Home Minister Amit Shah Ji and other officials."

Sources within the Delhi Police told NDTV the explosion may have occurred in a Hyundai i20 hatchback, while eyewitnesses suggested the initial vehicle that exploded was a Maruti Swift Dzire.