13 Killed In Blast Near Red Fort, Car With People Exploded At Traffic Signal

Thirteen people were killed and 24 injured after a high-intensity explosion ripped through a car with passengers this evening near Delhi's historic Red Fort, one of India's most high-profile spots. The blast took place in a Hyundai I20 car at 6.52 near the Red Fort Metro Station, leaving mangled bodies and wrecked cars scattered in the busy area. "It was a very powerful explosion," said sources in the Delhi Police. 

"The blast took place in a slow-moving vehicle that came to a halt at the Red Fort traffic signal. There were occupants in the car. The blast damaged cars nearby," Delhi Police Commissioner Satish Golcha told reporters. The explosion damaged 22 cars.

India's premier terror probe agency, the National Investigation Agency (NIA), and the National Security Guard have joined the investigations.

Mumbai, Jaipur, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, and Uttarakhand are on high alert, and so is Bihar, which is set to vote in the second and final round of polling tomorrow. Authorities in Kerala have also directed the police to strengthen security across the state. 

Disturbing visuals showed bodies on the ground, severed body parts, and mangled cars. 

Moments after the blast, an unprecedented number of police and security personnel filled the area, which sees heavy tourist traffic all year.

The blast took place on a day a massive haul of 2,900 kg of explosives was found just 50 km from the capital, in neighbouring Faridabad in Haryana. It also came a day before the second round of polling in Bihar.

The 17th-century Mughal-built Red Fort, also known as Lal Qila, is located in the congested old quarters of Delhi and is a popular tourist destination.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has been briefed by Union Home Minister Amit Shah on the blast. The Delhi Police Commissioner and chiefs of the NIA and Intelligence Bureau (IB) are regularly updating the Home Minister about the situation, sources in the government said. Amit Shah has said that the blast will be probed thoroughly.

Source: NDTV