The explosion that took place near Delhi’s Lal Qila metro station on Monday evening has made the situation more frightening. So far, 10 to 13 people have been confirmed dead, while 24 to 30 people are injured. LNJP Hospital said that 10 bodies have been brought there – three of which were those who were sitting inside the car and seven were those of pedestrians and street vendors who were present nearby.
Five to six seriously injured patients have been put on ventilators, and several patients are still being treated in the ICU. The intensity of the blast can be gauged from the fact that debris and metal pieces fell up to a distance of 150 meters and the glasses of nearby shops were broken.
New confirmation of vehicle and timeline – the explosion occurred in a car stopped at a signal, not a parked vehicle.
Delhi Police Commissioner Satish Golcha confirmed that the blast took place in a “Hyundai i20” car which was traveling at slow speed, stopped at the traffic signal of Gate No. 1. After the car blew up, 3-4 vehicles parked nearby also caught fire.
“This car was not parked but stopped at a red light. After the explosion, the car was thrown 20-30 metres,” Home Minister Amit Shah said in the statement. NSG bomb squad cleared the site by 9:30 pm.
Forensic team close to confirming IED blast, traces of RDX found – theory of CNG or battery blast rejected
Forensic investigation has now found chemical traces of RDX and high-grade explosives. According to sources, it was a timer or remote-triggered IED. A “bullet-shaped piece” of metal was found that may have been part of a possible trigger device.
Calling it a terrorist attack, NIA officials have formally placed the investigation in the ‘terror attack’ category. The possibility of CNG leak or EV battery explosion has been completely ruled out.
2,900 kg explosives recovered from Faridabad during the day and Red Fort blast at night – agencies are looking for connections, but no official link yet
During the day, 360 kg of ammonium nitrate and about 2,900 kg of IED material (detonators, wires, timers, batteries and chemicals) were recovered in Faridabad, Haryana.
Although Delhi Police and NIA said that a direct link between the two incidents is yet to be found, both are being investigated in parallel due to similar explosive signals.
The interrogation of the two accused arrested in the Faridabad case — Dr. Muzammil Ahmed Ganai and Dr. Adil Ahmed Rather — is ongoing. Both the educated professionals are now being investigated under “possible links to JeM and Ansar Ghazwat-ul-Hind module”.
Amit Shah reached LNJP, PM Modi is also monitoring the situation – Delhi-NCR on complete high alert
Home Minister Amit Shah reached LNJP Hospital at 8:30 pm and met the injured and their families, and held a high-level meeting with officials.
He said, “All angles are being investigated, the culprits will not be spared.”
A detailed report of the entire incident has also been sent to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and real-time monitoring is going on by the IB.
Delhi Police has closed all the gates of Chandni Chowk and Red Fort metro. Chandni Chowk market will remain closed on Tuesday so that forensic survey and CCTV analysis can be done. NCR borders have been sealed, and NSG teams have now been deployed in five cities.
Alert in states – monitoring of sensitive locations in UP, Maharashtra, Haryana, Bihar, Kerala, Chandigarh
Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath has ordered the state police to remain alert and increase patrolling on the Delhi border. Security at religious places and crowded areas has been increased in Mumbai, Pune, Lucknow, Chandigarh and Jaipur.
Political reactions – Opposition said security lapse, Center said ‘coordinated response’
AAP leader Sanjay Singh tweeted, “This is a serious security failure, there should be a security audit immediately.”
Akali Dal’s Sukhbir Badal and Mamata Banerjee called it an “unfortunate and tragic incident” and expressed condolences to the families of the victims.
