(MENAFN- Live Mint) An car blast rocked Delhi on Monday evening, hours after the recovery of nearly 3,000 kgs of explosives from a terror cell, sending the national capital and several other states into high alert.

Several people died in the blast while many others were injured, and an investigation is underway to ascertain the cause and nature of the explosion.

As updates continue to pour in, here's everything you need to know about the case so far.

When did the car blast take place?

The car blast took place between 6.50 pm and 7 pm on Monday evening.

A Hyundai i20 was primarily affected by the explosion, but the consequent shockwaves and fire left at least five to six vehicles damaged and/or gutted, including cars and re-rickshaws.

Where did the car blast take place?

The blast took place near the historic Red Fort, specifically, at the Subhash Marg traffic signal near Gate No. 1 of the Red Fort (Lal Qila) Metro Station.

How many have died in the car blast?

At least eight people are confirmed to have lost their lives in the car blast.

Meanwhile, at least 18 people have been injured in the car blast, although some media reports put the number between 19 and 24.

Authorities have said that all those injured had been rushed to hospitals.

Further details on casualties are awaited.

Also Read | Inside Delhi Blast Zone: How Crowded Red Fort Junction Became Scene Of Explosion What did eyewitnesses say?

Eyewitnesses described scenes of carnage.

One recalled seeing body parts scattered around, while another described a huge ball of fire when the explosion hit.

Yet another witness said that the sky turned red in the aftermath of the blast, while another said that buildings in the area shook as if hit by an earthquake.

What have the police said?

Delhi Police Commissioner Satish Golcha provided a detailed initial account of the incident.

"Today at around 6:52 pm, a slow-moving vehicle stopped at the red light. An explosion happened in that vehicle, and due to the explosion, nearby vehicles were also damaged. All agencies, FSL, NIA, are here... Some people have died, and some have been injured in the incident. The situation is being monitored. The Home Minister has also called us, and information is being shared with him from time to time," he said following the blast.

Regarding the nature of the blast, a senior police official flagged seemingly unusual findings.

"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," the official said.

What has the government said?

In the aftermath of the blast Home Minister Amit Shah visited the site of the explosion, took stock of the situation, and also met the injured.

"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 CP and the Special Branch in-charge... Tomorrow early morning, Home Ministry will sit with senior probing officials to probe the incident further," Shah promised.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi, in turn, was briefed by Shah and expressed his condolences to the bereaved families.

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar also expressed his condolences to affected families and his prayers for the speedy recovery of the injured.

Was this a terror attack?

It is unclear at the moment whether the car blast was a terror attack, but the possibility has not been ruled out, especially given that a terror module with nearly 3,000 kg of explosives was busted hours before the incident.

“We are exploring all possibilities and will conduct a thorough investigation, taking all possibilities into account. All options will be investigated immediately and we will present the results to the public,” Union Home Minister Shah said at the time.

Asked later if the blast was a terror attack, Shah told PTI,“It is difficult to say what caused the incident. Until the samples recovered from the blast site are analysed by forensic authorities and NSG, we can't say anything. But we are not ruling out anything, and investigating the matter from all angles.”

Also Read | Delhi blast kills 8 near Red Fort - Police reveal how the events unfolded Has anyone been detained?

Yes, at least one person has been detained thus far: the initial owner of the car.

The initial owner, reportedly a resident of Gurugram, had sold the car to another person, but confirmation regarding these details is awaited.

Separately, authorities are questioning at least eight individuals who were arrested on Monday in connection with a terror module allegedly linked to Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) and Ansar Ghazwat

Hind (AGuH).

The arrests took place hours before the blast and also led to the recovery of 2,900 kg of explosives, along with arms and ammunition.

What is the status of the investigation into the car blast?

The National Investigation Agency (NIA), National Security Guard (NSG), Forensic Science Laboratory (FSL), and the Delhi Police Special Cell are jointly investigating the blast case.

A case has been registered under various Sections of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA), the Explosives Act, and the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS).

As it stands, evidence from the site of the explosion has been collected by the FSL, and a forensic report on the nature of the blast is awaited.

As the probe continues, the FSL told ANI that samples will be taken to the laboratory and that the nature of the blast will be known after the examination.

"...The samples will be taken to the laboratory, and after that, only we can make any confirmation...Everything will be known after the examination...," FSL Officer Mohamad Wahid told reporters.

Are schools closed on Tuesday?

As of writing this, no official order had been issued regarding the closure of schools on Tuesday, November 11.

However, security has been tightened across the national capital.

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