A powerful car explosion near Delhi's Red Fort kills 8, injures 20, and sparks panic. Families wait anxiously at LNJP Hospital as police detain the vehicle's owner and investigate all angles of the shocking blast.

A powerful explosion near the Red Fort metro station on Monday evening tore through Delhi's historic heart, killing at least eight people and injuring 20 others, reigniting memories of the city's dark past with terror strikes. The blast occurred around 6:52 pm at a traffic signal near Gate 1 of the Red Fort, destroying several vehicles and sending shockwaves through the bustling Chandni Chowk area.

List of people killed and injured in the car blast near Red Fort in Delhi twitter/R5PmTyzZ1j

- Neha Khanna (@nehakhanna_07) November 10, 2025

Delhi Police officials confirmed that the explosion occurred in a moving Hyundai i20 car with three occupants.

"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," said a senior police officer. 

The blast gutted six cars, two e-rickshaws, and an autorickshaw, with fire brought under control by 7:29 pm. The sound of the explosion was reportedly heard as far as ITO, several kilometres away.

In a major development, Delhi Police detained the car's registered owner, Md Salman, in Gurugram. Salman had previously sold the vehicle to a person in Okhla named Devendra, and later it was sold to someone in Ambala. Authorities are tracing the chain of ownership to determine the vehicle's involvement in the blast.

“Delhi Police along with Gurugram police detained Md Salman on Monday and is questioning him about the car. He had sold it to a person in Okhla named Devendra. Later, the vehicle was again sold to someone in Ambala and police are tracing the people,” said a senior officer.

Union Home Minister Amit Shah visited LNJP Hospital to assess the situation and meet the injured. He emphasized that all possibilities were being explored.

"It is difficult to say what caused the incident. Until the samples recovered from the blast site are analysed by forensics and NSG, we can't say anything. But we are not ruling out anything and investigating all angles."

Shah confirmed that teams from Delhi Police, NIA, NSG, and the Forensic Science Laboratory are examining CCTV footage, mobile data, and eyewitness accounts.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi also took stock of the situation and expressed condolences:

"Condolences to those who have lost their loved ones in the blast in Delhi earlier this evening. May the injured recover at the earliest. Those affected are being assisted by authorities. Reviewed the situation with Home Minister Amit Shah Ji and other officials," he said on X.

Meanwhile, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh offered prayers for the injured:“The car blast incident in Delhi is extremely painful and disturbing. At this moment of immense grief, I extend my sincerest condolences to the families of the deceased. Praying for the speedy recovery of those injured.”

Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta condoled the loss of lives in the blast near the Red Fort, and appealed to people to maintain calm and avoid rumours. Calling the incident "extremely distressing and alarming", Gupta expressed her deepest sympathies to those who lost their loved ones.

"I pray to God that the injured recover swiftly," she said.

All possible help is being ensured for the affected people, and teams of Delhi Police, NSG, NIA, and FSL are working together to conduct a thorough probe into the entire matter, she said in a post on X.

"I appeal to all Delhi residents to avoid rumours and maintain calm. Please rely only on official information issued by police and the administration," the chief minister said.

Former Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal described the news as "extremely worrisome" and urged authorities to probe whether a larger conspiracy was involved. 

Delhi BJP president Virendra Sachdeva called the blast "horrific" and offered condolences to the victims' families, while senior AAP leader Atishi and Chandni Chowk MLA Punardeep Sawhney demanded a comprehensive inquiry to identify and punish the culprits. 

Delhi Congress president Devender Yadav also condemned the tragedy, expressing sorrow over the loss of lives and extending sympathy to the affected families.

Congress leaders expressed grief and demanded a thorough investigation. The party chief Mallikarjun Kharge said: "Extremely distressing to hear about the news of a car explosion near Red Fort Metro Station, Delhi. Initial reports suggest that several precious lives have been lost in this incident. The government must ensure a prompt and thorough investigation."

Priyanka Gandhi Vadra wrote: "May God grant peace to the departed souls. My deepest condolences to the bereaved families. I pray for the swift recovery of those injured."

Rahul Gandhi added:“In this hour of grief, I stand with the bereaved families who have lost their loved ones and express my deepest condolences to them. I hope for the swift recovery of all the injured.”

Prominent Maharashtra leaders, including Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and veteran politician Sharad Pawar, on Monday condemned the car blast near Delhi's Red Fort, calling it tragic and horrific. They expressed deep grief over the loss of lives, extended heartfelt condolences to the bereaved families, and wished a swift recovery to those injured in the explosion.

Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu and YSRCP chief Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy too expressed shock over the car explosion and extended condolences to the bereaved families.

Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah expressed deep pain and shock over the explosion. He stated that the state government is treating the Delhi blast incident with utmost seriousness and has instructed the Director General of Police (DGP) to maintain heightened vigilance across all district headquarters, including Bengaluru. The Chief Minister added that precautionary measures are being implemented to prevent any untoward incidents in the state and urged the public to cooperate with the police.

Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai described the blast as "extremely heart-wrenching" and expressed grief over the loss of lives in the powerful explosion.

Bihar Deputy Chief Minister Samrat Choudhary and state assembly Opposition leader Tejashwi Yadav too expressed deep sorrow over the loss of lives in the blast and prayed for the swift recovery of those injured.

The United States on Monday said it is closely watching developments following the deadly bomb blast near New Delhi's Red Fort, which claimed at least eight lives and left several others injured.

A spokesperson for the State Department told PTI,“We are aware of the explosion near Red Fort in Delhi. We are closely monitoring the situation and stand ready to provide consular assistance.”

Outside LNJP Hospital, relatives waited anxiously for news of their loved ones. Sudheer Sharma spoke about his critically injured son Ankush: "My son went to visit the Gauri Shankar temple with his friend Rahul Kaushik. While Rahul was sent home after stitches on his head, Ankush is fighting for his life."

Zeeshan Ansari, brother-in-law of another injured victim, said: "He called me after the incident. We rushed here immediately, but have not been allowed to see him till now."

Mohammad Danish, cousin of Sameer Khan, an auto-rickshaw driver injured in the blast, said: "Sameer is in the ICU. We still don't know how bad his situation is."

Families described“complete mismanagement” at the hospital, with no clear guidance on where to go or which gate to enter.

“We just want to know if our family members are alive,” one relative said.

Security has been tightened across several states and Delhi, with increased vehicle checking at city borders. Chandni Chowk market, near the blast site, will remain closed on Tuesday.

The RPF and GRP have also heightened security across Delhi-NCR railway stations, deploying personnel, dog squads, and CCTV monitoring while urging passengers to cooperate.

A high alert has also been issued across poll-bound Bihar, said Director General of Police Vinay Kumar. Security has been further tightened across districts, with the state police already on alert ahead of the second and final phase of assembly elections on November 11.

Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath has ordered heightened security across the state, including Ayodhya. ATS, bomb disposal units, and dog squads are on alert, with officers personally supervising sensitive areas, intensifying foot patrols, conducting vehicle and luggage checks, and monitoring crowded spots, temples-including in Ayodhya and Vrindavan-metro stations, and industrial sites to prevent any untoward incidents.

Eyewitnesses recounted the chaos: "When we saw someone's hand on the road, we were absolutely shocked. I can't explain it in words..."

Another said:“Several cars have been damaged. It felt as if we were all going to die...”

Delhi has long endured the trauma of terror attacks. The Red Fort itself has been targeted before, notably in December 2000, when a terror group opened fire inside the fort complex, killing two people. Other major incidents include the Parliament attack of 2001, the 2005 coordinated blasts before Diwali, the 2008 Connaught Place explosions, and the 2011 Delhi High Court briefcase bombing.

"Delhi's uneasy calm has been broken once again, reviving memories of the years when terror sought to shake the city's spirit," security experts said.

The blast comes hours after Haryana Police recovered 360 kg of suspected ammonium nitrate and a cache of arms from a Kashmiri doctor's rented accommodation in Faridabad.

As Delhi grapples with the tragedy, the city mourns yet again, while authorities race against time to piece together the events that led to one of the most shocking attacks in recent years.

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