New Delhi: Following the death of at least eight people in a blast near the Red Fort in Delhi, Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Monday said that the incident is under investigation and that “all possibilities will be explored.”
Speaking to a news agency, the Home Minister said, “This evening, around 7 pm, a blast occurred in a Hyundai i20 car at the Subhash Marg traffic signal near the Red Fort in Delhi. The explosion injured several pedestrians and damaged a few vehicles. Preliminary reports indicate that some people have lost their lives.”
He further stated that within ten minutes of receiving information about the incident, teams from the Delhi Crime Branch and Special Branch had reached the spot.
“The NSG and NIA teams, along with the FSL, have now begun a thorough investigation. Orders have been given to examine all nearby CCTV cameras. I have also spoken to the Delhi Commissioner of Police and the Special Branch in-charge,” he said.
The Home Minister added that the Delhi Commissioner of Police and the Special Branch in-charge were present at the site of the blast. “We are exploring all possibilities and will conduct a comprehensive investigation, taking every angle into account,” he said.
Amit Shah also visited Lok Nayak Hospital, where the injured are undergoing treatment. He held a review meeting with Delhi Police Commissioner Satish Golcha and other senior officials at the hospital.
At least eight people were killed and several others wounded, some of them grievously, after a blast ripped through a car near the Red Fort in Delhi. While the exact nature of the explosion is yet to be confirmed, police said it occurred in a slow-moving car near a traffic light.
Dr Subodh Kumar, Medical Superintendent of Lok Nayak Jai Prakash Narayan (LNJP) Hospital, said that fifteen people were brought to the hospital. “Eight of them were declared dead on arrival. Three are critically injured, and one is in stable condition,” he said.
The number of casualties may rise further as several of the injured remain in serious condition. Following the blast, the area was cordoned off, and a high alert was sounded in Delhi, Mumbai, and several other major cities across the country.