Red Fort blast highlights: Locals recall horror of Red Fort blast, say scenes still haunt them

Even before ambulances arrived, locals near Delhi’s Red Fort rushed to save the wounded after Monday’s deadly car explosion that killed 12 and injured over 20. Rajeev Kumar, a cosmetics shop owner, said he hasn’t slept since witnessing the blast and helped carry victims to safety. “I just wanted to know if the man I helped survived,” he said. Ambulance driver Fizaan recalled carrying “severed body parts” while rescuing victims with his colleague Imran. The men described scenes of chaos, smoke, and mutilated bodies that continue to haunt them days after the explosion.

The Delhi Police visited an address in New Seelampur, northeast Delhi, after records showed a red Ford EcoSport, suspected to be linked to the Red Fort blast, was registered there. The car, allegedly purchased using forged documents in the name of Dr Umer Un Nabi, is believed to have been used for reconnaissance prior to the explosion. Residents, including madrasa operator Imam Mohammad Tasawwur, cooperated with authorities, handing over his phone for investigation.

Meanwhile, the Forensic Science Laboratory (FSL) has collected more than 40 samples from the blast site, including two cartridges and two types of explosives. Preliminary tests indicate one sample may be ammonium nitrate, while the second is believed to be more powerful. Earlier, 360 kg of ammonium nitrate was recovered in Faridabad during arrests of Dr Muzammil Ganaie and Dr Shaheen Sayeed, linked to Al-Falah University. The FSL is analyzing all samples round the clock to determine the exact nature and usage of the explosives.

Two people injured in Monday’s Red Fort car explosion are in critical condition in the ICU at LNJP Hospital, a senior official said on Wednesday. A total of 27 people sustained injuries, with three in ICU and two reported critical. Three patients have taken Leave Against Medical Advice (LAMA). The hospital confirmed that families of the injured are being provided all necessary facilities, including food and lodging. Prime Minister Narendra Modi visited the hospital, met the survivors, and assured that those behind the attack would be brought to justice. “Praying for everyone’s quick recovery,” he said on X.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi is holding a key security meeting on Wednesday following the Red Fort blast

Congress general secretary KC Venugopal on Wednesday demanded that Union Home Minister Amit Shah resign over the Red Fort blast on November 10, which killed 12 and injured more than 20. He accused Shah of a “serious security failure,” noting that during the Mumbai blasts under the UPA, the then Home Minister resigned, taking moral responsibility. “If he has any sense of responsibility, he should resign,” Venugopal said. He added that Shah frequently claims in Parliament there are no riots or blasts, yet this explosion occurred near his office. The incident follows the bust of a “white-collar terror module,” with eight arrests including three doctors.

The elder brother of arrested doctor Shaheen Sayeed expressed disbelief over her alleged involvement in Monday’s Red Fort blast that killed 12 people. Speaking to PTI Videos in Lucknow, Mohammad Shoaib said he had no contact with Shaheen for four years and was unaware of any suspicious activities. Her former husband, Dr Zafar Hayat, recalled her as a loving mother and caring spouse, adding that she had never shown signs of extremism. Authorities claim Shaheen was linked to a “white-collar terror module” with ties to proscribed outfits. The NIA is investigating the multi-state network.

PM Modi came to LNJP hospital after returning from Bhutan. Here he met those injured after the blast in Delhi and also interacted with the injured and wished them a speedy recovery.

He was also briefed by officials and doctors at the hospital.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has reached LNJP hospital to meet the victims of Red Fort car blast.

PM Modi is likely to visit LNJP Hospital to meet the injured. Visuals from outside the hospital.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has returned from Bhutan state visit.

He will be meeting the victims of Delhi Red Fort blast at LNJP hospital. Later, he will chair the meeting of Cabinet Committee on Security.

According to a report by The Indian Express, the car entered through the Badarpur toll and was in Delhi for 11 hours.

According to an Indian Express update, Two doctors from Lucknow, who are siblings, have been taken into custody as part of the probe into the alleged “transnational and interstate” module unearthed by the Jammu and Kashmir Police. Police said the duo have been identified as Dr Shaheen Shahid Ansari and her brother Dr Parvez Ansari.

Sources told ANI that the suspects did not follow the usual pattern of a suicide car bombing — neither rammed the car into a target nor collided intentionally. The investigators suspect that the explosion could be accidental rather than a suicide attack.

The terror module appeared to have assembled the improvised explosive device (IED) improperly, leading to the blast in a moving car, the sources said.

The blast took place in a slow-moving car at a traffic signal near Gate No. 1 of the Red Fort Metro station on Monday evening, killing at least 12 people and gutting several vehicles, officials said.

Investigations into the terror attack near Red Fort are progressing rapidly. Initial findings Indicate that the car explosion was not a typical suicide blast, but was instead triggered in panic by the suspect.

Security agencies have been conducting raids across multiple locations linked to terror networks and have recovered significant quantities of explosives in Faridabad, Saharanpur, Pulwama, and other areas. Investigators believe the suspect acted hastily under mounting pressure.

Sources told ANI that the suspect did not follow the usual pattern of a suicide car bombing — he neither rammed the car into a target nor collided intentionally. The blast near the Red Fort did not follow the typical modus operandi of suicide bombers, who aim to inflict maximum damage

Agency sources also revealed that the bomb was premature and not fully developed. The explosion did not create a crater, and no shrapnel or projectiles were found. The vehicle was still moving when the blast occurred, and the IED was not equipped to cause heavy casualties.

(via ANI)

Security agencies widened their probe across Uttar Pradesh on Tuesday following the Delhi car blast near the Red Fort that left at least 12 people dead, conducting searches in multiple districts including Lucknow, Saharanpur and Lakhimpur Kheri.

Heightened security checks continued at public places amid stepped-up scrutiny of individuals with suspected links to the accused held so far.

In Lucknow, a joint team of the Anti-Terrorist Squad (ATS), local police and central agencies carried out an extensive probe at the Muttaqipur residence of Dr. Shaheen Shahid, who was earlier arrested in connection with the Delhi blast case. Officials collected documents and questioned family members and neighbours to gather details about her background

” Due to security reasons the Lal Quila Metro Station shall continue to remain closed on 12th of November also. All other stations are functional as normal,” read an update on X by the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation.

The Faridabad Police questioned students, the principal, and faculty members working with Dr Muzammil at Haryana’s Al Falah University on Tuesday. Faridabad Police has detained six people and is interrogating them regarding the terror module after Dr Muzammil was arrested on Monday morning in connection with running an alleged terror module in Faridabad.

The arrested accused was a physician at the Al-Falah University in Faridabad.

According to an NDTV update, key suspect Dr Umar Nabi had switched off his phone three days before the Red Fort attack. His family had also been unable to reach him. The suspected suicide bomber had reportedly gone to ground after coming to know that the police were looking for him. This came soon after the arrest of two doctors in connection with a Faridabad terror module.

“I am in deep sorrow to learn that many precious lives were lost in the explosion that occurred in Delhi, India. On behalf of the Government and people of Japan, I would like to express my heartfelt condolences to the victims and their bereaved families. I also offer my sincere prayers for the swift recovery of the injured,” Prime Minister of Japan, Sanae Takaichi, wrote on X.

“Our hearts go out to those affected by the fatal explosion near Delhi’s Red Fort metro station. Our deepest sympathies to those who lost loved ones, and we wish those who were injured a speedy recovery,” said a spokesperson at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of China.

“Chaired review meetings on the Delhi car blast with the senior officials. Instructed them to hunt down each and every culprit behind this incident. Everyone involved in this act will face the full wrath of our agencies,” Union Home Minister Amit Shah wrote on X.

The British Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office has shared an update and called on its nationals in Delhi to follow the advice of the local authorities.

“There has been an explosion at the Red Fort (Lal Qila) Metro Station, New Delhi. If you’re in the immediate area follow the advice of the local authorities and monitor local media,” reads the FCDO update for India.

The FCDO country-based advisory is a guidance on travel rather than a government-imposed regulation. It is intended to flag risks for travellers in order to make “informed decisions” and could lead to travel insurance being invalidated if the advice is overlooked.

According to an India Express update, the DNA of the mother of Umar Nabi is being collected from Pulwama. It will be matched with unidentified bodies lying at Lok Nayak Hospital in the national capital. Umar Nabi is suspected to have been driving the Hyundai i20 that exploded near Red Fort.

At Nabi’s village in Pulwama, his family and local officials confirmed that his mother had been taken away, ostensibly so her DNA sample could be collected. When The Indian Express visited his residence, only his sister-in-law was home.

According to a PTI update, a man from Gurugram was taken by police for questioning since the first owner of the car that was used in the blast near the Red Fort was their tenant between 2016 and 2020.

A joint team of Delhi and Gurugram police detained the first owner of the Haryana-registered car from Gurugram on Monday morning. Officials said Mohd. Salman had sold his car to a person named Devendra in Delhi’s Okhla one and a half years ago. The vehicle was later sold to another person in Ambala before being resold to a man named Tariq in Pulwama. The officer had informed that the police are tracing the people. The family of Dinesh (who was Salman’s landlord from 2016 to 2020) told the media that he had been taken for questioning by the police.

President Droupadi Murmu spoke to Union Home Minister Amit Shah over the phone from Angola on Tuesday and enquired about a blast that took place near the Red Fort. The president is currently on a State visit to Angola and Botswana. Murmu spoke to Shah over the phone from Angola and enquired about the blast.

The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) has officially handed over the investigation of the Red Fort car blast to the National Investigation Agency (NIA). The blast, which occurred near the Red Fort metro station on Monday evening, claimed eight lives and injured several others. The NIA will now lead the probe, coordinating with Delhi Police, forensic teams, and other security agencies, to determine the exact cause, uncover any terror links, and identify all individuals involved in the incident. The move comes after initial investigations suggested possible fidayeen-style planning by the suspect.

Delhi Police on Tuesday mapped the 11-hour journey of the Hyundai i20 involved in Monday’s Red Fort car blast, which killed eight and injured several. CCTV footage shows the car leaving Faridabad at 7:30 am, entering Delhi via Badarpur toll plaza, parking near Red Fort in the afternoon, and exploding at 6:52 pm. Initial findings suggest a fidayeen-style attack planned after the Faridabad explosives module was busted. Investigators are reviewing over 100 CCTV clips, mobile communication data, and dump records to trace accomplices and the vehicle’s full route. RAF and multiple agencies continue probing the blast’s intent.