Car Blast Near Delhi’s Red Fort Kills Eight, Injures 20

Car Blast Near Delhi’s Red Fort Kills Eight, Injures 20
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At least eight people were killed and 20 others injured when a car exploded near the historic Red Fort in India’s capital, Delhi, on Monday evening, Reuters reported. Police said the explosion occurred around 7 p.m. local time near a metro station in the old quarter of the city. Several nearby vehicles, including cars and auto-rickshaws, caught fire. Footage from the scene showed mangled bodies and wreckage as emergency crews rushed to contain the blaze and cordon off the area.

Delhi Police Commissioner Satish Golcha said the explosion happened when a slow-moving vehicle stopped at a red light, triggering damage to surrounding cars. Authorities are investigating “all angles,” Federal Home Minister Amit Shah said, while local media reported that a former owner of the vehicle had been detained. Following the blast, security alerts were issued across India, including in Mumbai and the neighboring state of Uttar Pradesh.

The U.S. Embassy in Delhi also urged citizens to avoid the area and remain vigilant. Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed condolences to the victims’ families and wished the injured a swift recovery. The Red Fort, a major tourist landmark, has been the site of previous attacks, though such incidents in Delhi have become rare in recent years.