A high-intensity explosion ripped through a car parked near the Red Fort metro station on Monday evening, gutting several vehicles and killing at least eight people, officials said. Twenty-four people were injured in the blast, said officials, adding, the injured were taken to the LNJP hospital.
Delhi Police commissioner Satish Golcha on Monday said the blast took place in a slow-moving vehicle near the Red Fort traffic signal. Videos shared by the Chandni Chowk Traders’ Association showed the magnitude of the blast. A body could be seen lying on a vehicle. Another video showed a body lying on the road. Eyewitnesses said body parts could be seen scattered near the blast site.
High alert in Delhi
A high alert has been sounded in Delhi. Ten fire tenders were rushed to the spot with police cordoning off the area, the Delhi Fire Services said. The fire, officials said, was brought under control by 7.29 pm. “Six cars, two erickshaws, and one autorickshaw were gutted in the fire,” said a fire department official.
Charred remains of vehicles near the Red Fort
A team of the National Investigation Agency (NIA) reached the spot. “The blast occurred in a car parked near Red Fort metro station gate number 1. The intensity was quite high. Injuries are feared,” said a senior official of Delhi Fire Service. Visuals of the incident showed plumes of fire billowing from the burning cars.
HM reviews sitution
Union Home Minister Amit Shah spoke to the Delhi police chief and the director of the Intelligence Bureau to take stock of the situation following a blast near the Red Fort that has so far claimed eight lives, sources said. Shah also directed the chiefs of the National Security Guard (NSG), National Investigation Agency (NIA) and forensic sciences to send expert teams to the blast site to assist the probe and collect evidence.
Arms and ammunition seized by the police. Pic/PTI
Experts of the NSG and investigators of the NIA have rushed to the blast site, sources said. The NSG team comprised explosive experts, while the NIA team consisted of investigators experienced in terror cases. A team of forensic experts has also rushed to the spot, sources said. Prime Minister Narendra Modi also took stock of the situation.
Congress seeks probe
The Congress on Monday termed as “deeply distressing” the incident of car explosion near the Red Fort here and demanded a thorough and speedy investigation into it.
Explosives seized ahead of blast
The Haryana Police in cordination with the Jammu and Kashmir Police on Monday recovered 360 kg of inflammable material suspected to be ammonium nitrate and some arms and ammunition from the house of Kashmiri Dr Muzammil Ganaie in Faridabad. An AK-47 rifle was found in her car.
2900 kg explosives
On Monday, eight people, including three doctors, were arrested and 2900 kg of explosives seized with the uncovering of a “white collar” terror module involving the Jaish-e-Mohammed and Ansar Ghazwat-ul-Hind and spanning Kashmir, Haryana, and Uttar Pradesh, officials said.
Dr Adeel from Wanpora in J&K was among the arrested. PIC/X@BLACKTIGER1612
Ganaie, a teacher at the Al Falah University in the Haryana town, was arrested after the Jammu and Kashmir police named him as a wanted person in a case involving putting up posters supporting the Jaish-e-Mohammed in Srinagar.
Of the eight arrested, seven are from Kashmir — Arif Nisar Dar alias Sahil, Yasir-ul-Ashraf, and Maqsood Ahmad Dar alias Shahid from Nowgam in Srinagar; Maulvi Irfan Ahmad from Shopian; Zameer Ahmad Ahanger alias Mutlasha from Wakura area of Ganderbal; Dr Muzammil Ahmad Ganaie alias Musaib from Koil area of Pulwama, and Dr Adeel from Wanpora area of Kulgam. Dr Shaheen is based in Lucknow.
Several Pakistani numbers were found on the phones of Ganaie and Adeel, officials said. They could be the possible handlers of the network. “The investigation revealed a white collar terror ecosystem, involving radicalised professionals and students in contact with foreign handlers, operating from Pakistan and other countries,” said a statement from the Jammu and Kashmir police.
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