NEW DELHI: Panic gripped Old Delhi on the evening of November 10 after a massive car explosion tore through the bustling stretch near Gate No. 1 of the Red Fort Metro Station, killing at least eight and injuring several others. The blast site, located just a few meters from the revered Gauri Shankar Temple and the Jain Lal Mandir, turned into a scene of devastation as flames engulfed multiple vehicles and shattered the calm of one of the city’s busiest heritage zones.
According to eyewitness accounts, the explosion occurred around 6:45 p.m., during peak evening hours when devotees and tourists crowded the temple area. “We heard a deafening sound, followed by fire and smoke. People were screaming and running in every direction,” said Rakesh Kumar, a shopkeeper near the temple gate. Several nearby stalls and vehicles caught fire as a result of the explosion, while the dense smoke caused panic among locals.
The Delhi Fire Department confirmed that it received multiple distress calls about a “blast-like sound” and dispatched seven fire tenders to the site. Rescue operations continued late into the night as teams from the National Security Guard (NSG) and Delhi Police Special Cell cordoned off the area for forensic examination.
Preliminary investigations have revealed that the explosion was likely triggered by an IED placed inside a slow-moving car. Experts from the NSG’s Bomb Data Centre recovered metallic fragments and traces of ammonium nitrate, materials often used in high-intensity explosives. The Delhi Police has registered a case under Section 16 of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) and is treating the incident as a potential terror attack.
Sources within the Delhi Police indicated that the vehicle involved in the blast was registered to one Nadeem Khan, whose whereabouts remain unknown. Authorities are examining CCTV footage from the Red Fort, Chandni Chowk, and Daryaganj areas to track the car’s movement before the explosion.
Officials said the timing and location of the blast—so close to multiple places of worship—suggest that it may have been designed to cause maximum panic and communal tension. “This area represents Delhi’s spiritual and cultural heart. The choice of site cannot be accidental,” said a senior police officer overseeing the investigation.
The tragedy unfolded just hours after a counter-terror operation in Faridabad exposed what investigators have described as a “white-collar terror module.” Two doctors from Kashmir were arrested with nearly 2.9 tonnes of ammonium nitrate and advanced explosive devices in their possession. Initial reports suggest the same material may have been used in the Red Fort blast, indicating a possible operational link.
As Delhi and the National Capital Region (NCR) were placed on high alert, security has been tightened at all major religious sites, railway stations, and airports. Teams from the National Investigation Agency (NIA) and Intelligence Bureau (IB) have joined the probe.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah have reviewed the situation with senior security officials, calling for a “comprehensive and swift investigation.” Hospitals such as LNJP and RML are treating the injured, with several victims reported to be in critical condition.
