A car explosion near New Delhi’s historic Red Fort on Monday killed at least eight people and injured 19 others, according to police.
The blast, which sparked a fire that damaged several nearby vehicles, occurred close to one of the Red Fort metro station gates, fire officials said. Authorities are still determining the cause of the explosion.
Following the incident, security was heightened across New Delhi, including at the international airport, metro stations, and government buildings.
Om Prakash Gupta, a resident living near the site, said he heard a loud bang and ran outside with his children. “There were vehicles on fire and body parts scattered around,” he told the Associated Press, describing one body lying on a car windshield.
Another witness, a cab driver named Shahrukh, said he too heard the explosion and ran from his car along with others.
The Red Fort, a former Mughal palace and a major tourist destination in Old Delhi, was shown in local media footage surrounded by damaged cars and a police cordon.
Police spokesperson Sanjay Tyagi confirmed that eight people were killed and several others injured, adding that investigations were underway. The city’s fire department reported 19 injured individuals, all receiving treatment at a government hospital.
Images from the scene showed burning cars, twisted metal, and shattered glass.
Home Minister Amit Shah told local media that the explosion occurred in a Hyundai i20 near a traffic light close to the fort. CCTV footage from surrounding cameras will be reviewed as part of the investigation.
“We are considering every possible angle and will conduct a full investigation,” Shah said, promising transparency in the findings.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed his condolences on social media, writing: “Condolences to those who have lost their loved ones in the blast in Delhi earlier this evening. May the injured recover quickly.”
The 17th-century Red Fort, about six kilometers (3.7 miles) from India’s Parliament, is one of the country’s most iconic landmarks and the site of the annual Independence Day address by the prime minister.
The investigation is being led by the National Investigation Agency (NIA) along with other federal bodies.