CAR BOMB TERROR: IED explosion near Red Fort, suspects detained

NEW DELHI – A powerful explosion ripped through a Hyundai i20 car near Gate No. 1 of the Red Fort Metro Station on Monday evening, killing at least eight people and injuring several others, in what authorities are treating as a suspected terror-related incident. The blast, which occurred around 6:55 pm during a busy rush hour, has sent shockwaves through the national capital and prompted a high-level, multi-agency investigation.

Initial forensic analysis suggests that an Improvised Explosive Device (IED) was used in the car, which tore apart the vehicle as it moved slowly near the traffic signal on Subhash Marg. The intensity of the blast caused the fire to spread, gutting the i20 and damaging multiple nearby cars and rickshaws.

Kashmir Connection and Detentions

The investigation has swiftly pivoted towards a potential terror network operating out of Jammu and Kashmir, following the tracing of the exploded car’s ownership trail.

• Detentions in Kashmir: Two individuals—Tariq Ahmed Dar from Samboora, Pulwama, and Umar alias Amir—have been detained in Kashmir. Sources indicate that Tariq has claimed he handed over the car to Amir.
• Car Ownership Trail: The white Hyundai i20, bearing a Haryana registration number (HR26), was originally registered in Gurugram under Mohammad Salman. Investigators have found that the car changed hands four times: from Salman to Devendra, then to Sonu, and finally to Tariq from Shambhura village in Pulwama. These ownership transfers were allegedly done illegally through a Faridabad-based car dealer.

Delhi Police have dispatched a special team to Srinagar to verify the details concerning Tariq and his associates, as they probe the depth of the terror link.

Focus on Improvised Explosive Device (IED) and CCTV Footage

The preliminary use of an IED has raised concerns about a larger, pre-planned terror plot targeting Delhi.

• IED Confirmation: Investigators confirmed the use of an IED in the blast. The exact nature and composition of the explosive are under detailed examination by forensic and anti-terror experts.
• Vehicle Tracking: More than 50 CCTV footage clips have been collected from key areas, including Kashmiri Gate, Dariyaganj, Sunehri Masjid, and the Red Fort area. Police are meticulously tracking the vehicle’s route, which was reportedly seen roaming in North Delhi since the early afternoon, suggesting the perpetrators may have been scouting the location or waiting for a specific time.

High Alert Issued

Following the devastating attack, a high alert has been sounded across the national capital and surrounding states. Teams from the National Security Guard (NSG), the National Investigation Agency (NIA), and forensic departments have reached the site to conduct a thorough probe. Union Home Minister Amit Shah reviewed the situation and directed top agencies to conduct an in-depth, time-bound investigation, assuring the public that all angles are being explored.

The bodies of the deceased and the injured have been shifted to LNJP Hospital. Authorities are appealing to the public for calm and to rely only on official information as the probe intensifies into whether this blast was part of a major conspiracy against the capital.