A powerful explosion in a car near the gate of the Red Fort metro station in Old Delhi on Monday evening killed multiple people and wounded scores, sending panic through the crowded historic quarter and prompting a major security mobilization across the capital. Officials and news organisations gave differing early tolls, with reports ranging from eight to ten dead and dozens injured as investigators worked to determine what caused the blast.
The blast occurred at about 6:52 p.m. local time in a slow-moving Hyundai i20 that had stopped at a red light near Lal Qila (Red Fort) metro station, Delhi Police Commissioner Satish Golcha told reporters. Police said the explosion triggered fires that damaged several nearby cars and auto-rickshaws and left the area strewn with wreckage. Emergency services responded quickly and the wounded were taken to nearby hospitals.
Casualty figures remained fluid in the hours after the incident. Agencies such as the Associated Press and Reuters initially reported at least eight people killed and about 19–20 injured, while some Indian outlets gave slightly higher totals; contemporaneous summaries and crowd-sourced timelines showed figures changing as hospitals and police compiled lists. Authorities have warned that the numbers could be revised as the situation is clarified.
Investigators from multiple federal and city agencies moved in within hours. Delhi police said forensic teams, the Forensic Science Laboratory (FSL) and national investigators have been deployed, and Indian central agencies including the National Investigation Agency (NIA) and elite units were reported to be involved as a precaution while probing whether the cause was accidental, technical failure or deliberate. Security was tightened across Delhi, including at airports, metro stations and other sensitive locations.
Witnesses described scenes of chaos. Television footage and bystander videos circulating online showed burning vehicles and rescue teams at the scene as onlookers and shopkeepers tried to assist the wounded. Officials said CCTV and other electronic evidence from the area were being examined. Delhi’s chief and union ministers were reported to have been briefed; Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah were reported to be monitoring the situation.
Police said they had detained the registered owner of the vehicle for questioning while forensic teams examined the car. Authorities cautioned that it was too early to ascribe motive or cause, and said all leads were being investigated. Local hospitals and emergency responders remained on alert as they treated the injured.
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