Delhi car blast near Red Fort: What we know so far

As a high-intensity car explosion near Delhi’s iconic Red Fort sent shockwaves across the country on Monday evening (November 10), several questions remained unanswered even four hours later.

As all the high-profile investigating and security agencies of the country, including the NIA and the NSG, descended on the blast spot, most states quickly issued security checks and the CISF sounded an alert for key installations such as airports and railway stations.

Also read: Delhi blast story Live

As several versions emerged regarding the make of the car and the number of vitims, here is what we know so far from official sources:

Where did the blast take place?

According to Delhi Police Commissioner Satish Golcha, the car, in which the blast took place, was a “slow-moving vehicle”, possibly meaning that the car was moving slowly at the traffic signal near the Red Fort Metro station where the blast took place.

Were there people in the car?

Yes. Golcha said the car had some occupants. News agency PTI quoted another senior police officer as saying, “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.”

What was the make of the car?

Several versions doing the rounds about the make of the car, with a witness claiming it was a Swift and others claiming it was an Eeco. But the official version, which has been stated by Union Home Minister Amit Shah too, is that it was a Hyundai i20.

Who does the car belong to?

According to an initial PTI report, police sources said the car was registered in the name of one Nadeem Khan and bore a Haryana number plate.

However, later it reported that the car’s owner was identified as Md Salman and he was detained in Haryana’s Gurugram. Salman had reportedly sold his car to a person in Okhla named Devendra.

The car was reportedly registered in Salman’s name and had a Haryana registration plate. “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,” a senior police officer said, according to PTI.

When did the blast take place?

According to Golcha, the blast occurred around 6.52 pm.

How big was the blast?

According to a fire department official, six cars, two e-rickshaws, and one autorickshaw were gutted in the fire. The blaze caused by the blast was brought under control by 7.29 pm.

The blast was so powerful that it shattered the window panes of vehicles parked several metres away, and the sound was heard at ITO, a few kilometres from the site. The Red Fort Metro station was also slightly damaged in the blast.

Also read: Body parts scattered everywhere, sky turned red: Witnesses recount Delhi blast horror

Videos shared by the Chandni Chowk Traders’ Association revealed the magnitude of the blast. A mangled body could be seen lying on a vehicle, while another clip showed a body on the road. Eyewitnesses said body parts could be seen scattered near the blast site.

How many people died in the blast?

So far, the official number of deceased victims stands at 9, while 20 were reportedly injured and are being treated at the LNJP hospital, a few kilometres away.

Aftermath

All key agencies — Delhi Police, Forensic Science Laboratory, National Investigation Agency (NIA), National Security Guard (NSG) — are investigating at the spot.

A high alert has been sounded in Delhi and many states, with security being beefed up at key locations and vehicle checking being intensified.

Also read: Car involved in blast is i20, registered in Haryana: Centre

Police are scanning CCTV footage to determine the route of the vehicle before the blast occurred. They are questioning locals and asking eyewitnesses to share information about any suspicious activity in the lead-up to the incident.

Mobile dump data are being gathered, and dossiers of suspected terrorists are being scanned.

Is there a terror angle?

Home Minister Amit Shah said it is difficult to say anything specifically but all angles are being considered.

No terror outfit has so far claimed responsibility for the attack.

The blast in Delhi occurred hours after the recovery of around 360 kg of suspected ammonium nitrate and a cache of arms and ammunition from a Kashmiri doctor’s rented accommodation in Faridabad, bordering Delhi.

Haryana Police, in coordination with their Jammu and Kashmir counterparts, arrested Dr Muzammil Ganaie from Faridabad’s Dhauj area.