Body parts scattered everywhere, sky turned red: Eyewitnesses of blast near Red Fort

New Delhi | Mangled bodies lying on vehicles and road, pieces of flesh scattered on the streets and flames rising up to the sky. Witnesses recalled in graphic detail the aftermath of a high-intensity explosion that ripped through a slow-moving car close to the Red Fort metro station here on Monday.

While I was standing and talking to someone, a body part... a hand, with the man's shirt still on it, fell right behind me, Amit Mudgal (36) told PTI.

Recalling the terrifying moments following the explosion, he said, "About 20 minutes ago, the situation was unbelievable. There was a huge blast, and within seconds, the sky was covered in red smoke,” he said.

"Everyone was screaming and running for cover," Mudgal recalled.

He said the impact was so severe that human remains were scattered across the street. “As I moved towards the fire, I helped several people get into ambulances.”

An injured eyewitness, who had a wound on his forehead, said the explosion appeared to have originated from a car parked nearby.

“I am an auto rickshaw driver. There was a car in front of my auto, most probably a Maruti Swift. I don’t know how it happened, but something in that car suddenly blasted,” he said.

A high-intensity explosion ripped through a car near the Red Fort metro station on Monday evening, gutting several vehicles and killing at least eight people, officials said.

Twenty-four people were injured in the blast that took place on a busy evening when the area was milling with people. The injured were taken to the LNJP hospital, a few kilometres away.

Eyewitnesses said several vehicles were destroyed and glass panes of shops and even those at the nearby metro station were shattered.

"I was at the gurdwara when I heard a strong sound. We couldn’t make out what it was, it was that loud,” said another resident.

A shopkeeper said the tremors were powerful enough to shake entire buildings. “I had come here to buy something when I heard a huge blast. The whole shop trembled,” he said. “Several people were injured, and many were being taken away from the spot soon after.”

Manoj, who runs a pani puri stall near Jama Masjid, said he felt the intensity of the blast from over a kilometre away.

“I was having food when we suddenly felt the blast in our chests, it was massive,” he said. "I rushed here and saw people screaming, some lying motionless. There was an autorickshaw driver injured badly; he was taken to hospital."

Another witness, Bhupinder Singh, who was driving a loading vehicle, said the explosion occurred just as the traffic signal turned green.

“We were moving slowly when the blast happened. The window glass shattered, and we ran towards the market. It was very crowded, nobody knew what was happening,” he said.

Recalling the gut-wrenching scenes, Singh said, "We saw the body parts of two or three men blown to pieces.”

Irfan, another eyewitness, said the scene was horrific.

"We saw severed hands, fingers, and even the steering wheel of a car blown off. There were handcart pullers and taxi drivers caught in the blast, some of them didn't survive," he said.

Videos circulating on social media showed panicked locals shouting "Bomb phat gaya!" (A bomb has exploded!) and "Kata hua haath hai!" (There's a severed hand!) as flames rose from the burning vehicles.

According to officials, the explosion occurred in a car parked near Gate No. 1 of the Red Fort metro station. “The intensity was quite high. Injuries are feared,” said a senior Delhi Fire Service officer.

Ten fire tenders were rushed to the spot with police cordoning off the area, the Delhi Fire Services said. The fire, officials said, was brought under control by 7.29 pm.

A high alert has been sounded in Delhi. Delhi Police’s Special Cell and anti-terror squads cordoned off the area and forensic teams began collecting samples from the wreckage.

Checks at metro stations, crowded places as security tightened

Noida | Security has been stepped up in Gautam Buddh Nagar following a blast in a car near the Red Fort in Delhi on Monday evening, police officials said.

Police teams are conducting checking drives at metro stations and crowded places, and erected barricades at key locations to inspect suspicious vehicles, they said.

Deputy Commissioner of Police (Noida) Yamuna Prasad, along with police personnel, carried out foot patrols in Sector 62 and other crowded areas under the jurisdiction of the Sector 58 police station to review security arrangements.

He directed station in-charges to set up barricades, stop suspicious vehicles, and ensure thorough checking.

Similarly, DCP (Central Noida) Shakti Mohan Awasthy, accompanied by ACP-1 Central Noida Varnika Singh, led checking operations at metro stations and nearby crowded areas under the jurisdiction of the Sector 63 police station.

Awasthy instructed the Station House Officer to keep a close watch on all suspicious vehicles, maintain strict surveillance through CCTV cameras, and ensure constant patrolling by PCR and PRV vehicles, officials added.

A high-intensity explosion occurred near the Red Fort metro station on Monday evening, gutting several vehicles and killing at least eight people, officials said.

Twenty-four people were injured in the blast that took place at a time when the area was milling with people. The injured were taken to the Lok Nayak Jai Prakash (LNJP) hospital a few kilometres away.

PM Modi takes stock of situation after blast near Red Fort, speaks to Amit Shah

New Delhi | Prime Minister Narendra Modi said he has reviewed with Home Minister Amit Shah and other officials about the situation following the explosion near the Red Fort metro station on Monday that claimed eight lives, and assured people that those affected are being assisted by the authorities.

The high-intensity explosion in the area milling with people also injured 24. They have been taken to the LNJP hospital, a few kilometres away.

"Condolences to those who have lost their loved ones in the blast in Delhi earlier this evening. May the injured recover at the earliest," PM Modi said on X.

"Those affected are being assisted by authorities. Reviewed the situation with Home Minister Amit Shah Ji and other officials," he added.

Earlier, government sources said PM Modi had taken stock of the situation and spoken with Shah, and taken an update.

Videos shared by the Chandni Chowk Traders' Association revealed the magnitude of the blast. A mangled body could be seen lying on a vehicle, while another clip showed a body lying on the road. Eyewitnesses said body parts could be seen scattered near the blast site.

A high alert has been sounded in Delhi, and security has been beefed up at city border points, with vehicle checking intensified.

Delhi Police Commissioner Satish Golcha said the car, in which the blast took place, had some occupants.

According to a senior police officer, "The blast occurred in a moving Hyundai i20 car in which three people were sitting. We have not found any pellet or puncture in the body of the injured, which is unusual in a bomb blast. We are investigating all angles."

Police sources said the car was registered in the name of one Nadeem Khan and bore a Haryana number plate.

Ten fire tenders were rushed to the spot as police cordoned off the area, the Delhi Fire Services said. The blaze caused by the blast was brought under control by 7.29 pm, officials said.

According to a fire department official, six cars, two e-rickshaws and one autorickshaw were gutted in the fire.

The blast was so powerful that it shattered the window panes of vehicles parked several metres away, and the sound was heard at ITO, a few kilometres from the site.