Sarojini Nagar Blast Survivor Rushes to Help Red Fort Explosion Victims: A Tale of Compassion Amid Terror

Ashok Randhawa, who lost a colleague in the 2005 Delhi serial blasts, spoke to NDTV about his efforts to assist victims of the recent Red Fort explosion.

New Delhi:

Monday evening's explosion near the historic Red Fort reopened emotional wounds for survivors of Delhi's Sarojini Nagar blast that occurred two decades ago.

Upon hearing about the incident, Ashok Randhawa, whose colleague perished in the 2005 serial bombings, immediately proceeded to Red Fort to provide assistance to the victims.

The explosion killed nine people and injured approximately 20 others when it tore through a slow-moving vehicle at a traffic light near Red Fort metro station at 6:52 PM. The incident, now being investigated under anti-terrorism legislation, severely damaged nearby vehicles.

"Many people from outside Delhi have lost relatives in this blast and cannot transport the bodies home. They urgently need financial assistance. We have arranged ambulances and private vehicles to help them transport their deceased loved ones," explained Randhawa, who serves as president of the Sarojini Nagar Mini Market Traders Association, in his interview with NDTV.

Reflecting on the 2005 attacks that claimed over 50 lives, Randhawa shared his personal survival story.

"Lalchand Saluja, our association's secretary, called me to his shop on Dhanteras day to help manage the massive crowd in the market. When I told him, 'They won't listen to me, so I'm calling the police,' I immediately headed to the nearby police booth. At that moment, the bomb detonated," he recounted.

"Saluja's body was torn into two pieces. I had never witnessed such a horrific scene before," he added.

"Since that day, we've maintained contact with all blast victims in Delhi, offering whatever assistance we can," Randhawa stated.

Surendra Kumar, who lost his elder brother in the 2005 bombings, also joined efforts to help Monday's blast victims.

Blast Near Delhi's Red Fort

Police sources indicated the powerful explosion apparently originated from a white Hyundai i20 vehicle stopped at a traffic signal.

The Haryana-registered car belonged to Umar Mohammad, a Pulwama resident from Jammu and Kashmir, who investigators believe was driving when the explosion occurred.

Umar, a medical professional, was reportedly a member of a radical doctors' group that communicated via Telegram and maintained connections to Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM), a Pakistan-based terrorist organization.

Earlier that day, police in neighboring Faridabad, Haryana, had confiscated 2,900 kg of explosives and flammable materials from two rooms rented by a Kashmiri doctor named Muzammil Shakeel.

Shakeel and another Kashmiri doctor, Adeel Ahmad Rather, were among eight individuals arrested for alleged involvement in a "white-collar terror" network connected to Jaish-e-Mohammed and Ansar Ghazwat-ul-Hind operating across Kashmir, Haryana, and Uttar Pradesh.

The explosive materials seized in Faridabad included ammonium nitrate, potassium nitrate, and sulphur.

Investigators have now established a connection between the Red Fort explosion and the "white-collar" terror network, with sources confirming that Umar was also affiliated with this group.