Explosion in car near Red Fort Metro Station leaves 9 dead, over 20 injured

New Delhi: A powerful explosion tore through a moving Hyundai i20 near the Red Fort metro station on Monday evening, killing at least nine people and injuring more than 20 in one of the most serious incidents to hit the Capital in recent years. The blast, which occurred around 6:52 pm, triggered panic across the Red Fort–Chandni Chowk area and sent shockwaves through Old Delhi’s crowded lanes.

Officials said the explosion gutted several vehicles, shattered glass façades up to a kilometre away, and left mangled bodies on the road. Two women were among the injured, all of whom were taken to the Lok Nayak Jai Prakash (LNJP) Hospital nearby. The car, a white Hyundai i20 with Haryana registration HR26 CE7674, had three occupants when it exploded. While the cause is under investigation, police suspect the vehicle was transporting explosive material. A senior officer noted that no pellets or puncture wounds were found on the injured—unusual for a bomb blast—indicating the use of a non-conventional mechanism.

Eyewitnesses described chaos and flames consuming nearby vehicles. One man said he was at a gurdwara when he heard a deafening sound and felt the ground shake; another, an auto driver, saw a fireball rise into the air. 

The blast hurled car parts nearly 100 metres and shattered the windows of the Red Fort metro station. According to Delhi Fire Services, six cars, two e-rickshaws and an autorickshaw were destroyed.

Deputy Chief Fire Officer A K Malik said seven units responded immediately and the fire was contained by 7:29 pm. Between ten and twenty engines were deployed as police sealed off the area and diverted traffic. Videos from the Chandni Chowk Traders’ Association showed burning vehicles and bodies on the road. Association president Sanjay Bhargaw said his shop, about 800 metres away, shook when the explosion occurred. He added that the market would remain closed on Tuesday.

Hospital sources confirmed that of the 20 injured, 12 were Delhi residents and the rest from Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand and Himachal Pradesh. The youngest victim was 21-year-old Shivam Jha of Usmanpur. Police have identified among the dead 34-year-old Ashok Kumar from Amroha and 35-year-old Amar Kataria from Delhi; others are believed to be between 28 and 58 years old.

The Delhi Police have detained Md Salman, the registered owner of the car, from Gurugram for questioning. The vehicle is believed to have changed hands several times over the past 18 months, often through forged documents. Salman reportedly sold it to a man named Devendra in Okhla, who then passed it to Sandeep in Ambala; it later went to Tariq, a resident of Pulwama, Jammu and Kashmir. Investigators are tracing this chain to identify its final possessor and determine whether the car was used to transport explosives.

Hours before the explosion, police in Faridabad, Haryana, seized about 2,900–3,000 kg of suspected ammonium nitrate along with arms and ammunition from a flat rented by two doctors—Muzammil Ganaie and Adeel—both from Jammu and Kashmir. The pair were arrested in a joint operation by the Haryana and J&K Police and are being questioned for possible links to the Delhi blast. Investigators suspect the Red Fort incident and the Faridabad seizure may be connected as part of a larger network, though confirmation is pending.

Forensic teams are analysing whether ammonium nitrate was used in the explosion. Early findings show no trace of RDX or TNT, no crater formation, and no shrapnel—signs of a chemical-based blast rather than a military-grade explosive. A senior officer said it could resemble the Faridabad material.

CCTV footage shows the car parked near the Red Fort for over three hours before the explosion. At 3:19 pm, it entered a nearby parking area and exited around 6:48 pm, just minutes before the blast. Teams from the Special Cell, Crime Branch and the National Investigation Agency are mapping the car’s route using toll and traffic-camera data across the NCR to identify the occupant seen in the footage.

Security in Delhi was immediately heightened. All border points were sealed for checks, and the Central Industrial Security Force placed critical installations—including the Metro network, IGI Airport, government buildings and the Red Fort—under extra surveillance. States including Maharashtra, Karnataka, West Bengal, Telangana, Rajasthan, Haryana, Punjab, Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Bihar and Kerala were asked to tighten vigilance. Bihar, heading to polls on Tuesday, was put on special alert.

Delhi Police Commissioner Satish Golcha, who visited the site, confirmed the explosion occurred in a slow-moving vehicle at the traffic signal near Red Fort metro station, damaging nearby cars. He said all agencies, including the Forensic Science Laboratory, NIA and the National Security Guard, are coordinating the probe. Union Home Minister Amit Shah later inspected the site, reviewed the situation, and met injured victims at LNJP Hospital. Prime Minister Narendra Modi was briefed and directed the Home Ministry to ensure a thorough investigation, offering full central support to Delhi authorities.

Preliminary assessments suggest the Red Fort may not have been the intended target. Investigators believe the vehicle could have been ferrying explosive material that ignited accidentally. Experts cited the absence of splinters and craters—unusual for a terror-style improvised device—to support this possibility. Still, the timing and magnitude mean deliberate intent has not been ruled out.

Emergency services arrived within minutes as ambulances carried victims to hospitals and firefighters tackled burning vehicles. Witnesses said the explosion sounded “earth-shattering.” A mini-truck driver said a Swift beside him “suddenly blew up” and that it did not resemble a gas-cylinder blast. One woman, searching for her e-rickshaw-driver husband last seen near the Red Fort, broke down as rescue workers combed the wreckage.

Police have collected mobile-network data from the area and are examining CCTV footage within a two-kilometre radius. Forensic experts from the National Security Guard are studying residues, wiring fragments and potential detonator parts recovered from the scene.

Political parties called for a transparent investigation. The Congress and others questioned possible security lapses, while Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta pledged assistance to victims and urged residents to remain calm and avoid rumours, relying only on official updates.

The Red Fort, a UNESCO World Heritage Site built in the 17th century, lies about six kilometres from Parliament and draws thousands of visitors daily. The blast struck during the evening rush hour when traffic from Chandni Chowk and Daryaganj converges, an area that typically sees four to six lakh people each day.

By nightfall, the intersection had turned into a sealed crime scene under floodlights. National Security Guard teams in bomb suits scoured the wreckage while forensic experts collected samples. Police said the fire was fully extinguished and the area secured. A preliminary forensic report is expected within 48 hours. Investigators said it was too early to determine the cause, pending chemical analysis and CCTV verification.