A powerful car blast occurred near Lal Quila Metro Station in New Delhi this evening. Talking to the media, Delhi Police Commissioner Satish Golcha said that at around 6.52 PM, a slow-moving vehicle stopped at the red light, and an explosion happened in that vehicle.
He added that due to the explosion, nearby vehicles were also damaged. The Police Commissioner informed that some people have died, and some have been injured in the incident.
Talking to Akashvani News, the Delhi Fire Service said that they received a call about the incident at around 6:55 PM. It said that seven fire tenders were dispatched to the scene to control the blaze. They added that one or two nearby cars also caught fire as a result of the explosion.
Talking to the media, Deputy Chief Fire Officer AK Malik said that they got the information about the blast in a car near Chandni Chowk Metro Station, and seven units were sent to the spot. He added that at 7:29 PM, the fire was brought under control, and the teams are present at the spot.
Senior Delhi police officials have also reached the site. Meanwhile, quoting sources, news agency ANI said that multiple casualties have been brought to the Lok Nayak Jai Prakash (LNJP) hospital after the explosion. Several injured were also rushed to the Hospital.
The Red Fort, known as Lal Qila, is located in the heavily congested Old Delhi area of India’s capital which is usually heaving with people, food stalls and vehicles and is a popular tourist destination.
A vast 17th-century Mughal palace, the fort is one of India’s most significant monuments. The prime minister makes an annual address on the fort’s ramparts on Independence Day and it features on the country’s banknotes.
The city of Mumbai in Maharashtra was put on “precautionary” high alert after the Red Fort blast. In the neighbouring state of Uttar Pradesh, an order was issued to increase security at religious sites and sensitive border areas and alerts were also issued in the states of Haryana and Punjab.
