Indian police investigate the deadly car explosion in the national capital territory under stringent ‘antiterrorism’ law.
At least eight killed in blast near Red Fort in India’s New Delhi
By Elizabeth Melimopoulos
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Indian authorities have vowed to “hunt down” the perpetrators of the worst attack on the country’s capital in more than a decade, after a car explosion in Delhi on Monday killed at least 13 people and wounded more than 20.
Security forces have been placed on high alert across major states and cities as authorities have launched an investigation into the cause of the blast on Monday night.
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi has said those responsible for the blast will “not be spared”.
At 6:52pm (13:52 GMT), a powerful, high-intensity blast tore through a crowded neighbourhood during the evening rush hour.
According to the Delhi police, the explosion originated in a moving Hyundai i20 car.
“A slow-moving vehicle stopped at a red light. An explosion happened in that vehicle, and due to the explosion, nearby vehicles were also damaged,” Delhi Police Commissioner Satish Golcha told reporters.
Images from the scene show shattered windows, mangled vehicles, and fire and smoke rising from burning cars.
Police later detained the original owner of the car, identified as Mohammad Salman, in the adjoining city of Gurugram in Haryana state. He bought the vehicle in 2013. Investigators said Salman had subsequently sold the vehicle to another man in New Delhi, who in turn sold the car recently. The person Salman sold the car to has also been arrested. However, the car was still registered in Salman’s name and carried a Haryana number plate, according to local media reports.
Delhi police have invoked India’s primary “counterterrorism” law, registering a case under Sections 16 and 18 of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, or UAPA, along with provisions of the Explosives Act.
This means that even though officials have yet to formally confirm the cause of the blast or name suspects, they appear to be treating the explosion as a potential act of “terrorism”, not just a criminal or accidental blast.
The explosion occurred in a densely populated part of Old Delhi near the Red Fort Metro Station.
The blast took place at a traffic signal close to the entrance of the metro station serving the Red Fort, locally known as Lal Qila, one of the city’s most renowned Mughal-era monuments.
The site lies at a busy intersection linking the Red Fort with the bustling Chandni Chowk Market, where the impact of the explosion was felt.
The Red Fort itself, completed by Emperor Shah Jahan in 1648, is an architectural masterpiece that blends Islamic, Persian, Timurid and Hindu design traditions.
The Red Fort also holds deep national importance because it was from its ramparts that India’s first prime minister, Jawaharlal Nehru, delivered an Independence Day speech on August 15, 1947, marking the end of British colonial rule.
Since then, every year on Independence Day, the Indian prime minister hoists the national flag and addresses the nation from the same spot. This tradition makes the fort a living symbol of India’s sovereignty and freedom.
The explosion occurred hours after police revealed they had arrested a Kashmiri doctor from Faridabad, also in Haryana, on charges of plotting a “terrorist” attack.
Haryana police said in a statement that they had found 2,900kg (6,393lb) of explosives, 20 timers, two dozen remote controls, a rifle and dozens of live rounds from the premises of the house where the doctor lived. Seven other people accused of helping the doctor were also arrested.
Indian authorities have so far not confirmed any link between the arrested doctor and the explosion on Monday.
However, CCTV footage obtained by Indian media companies from a tollgate that the car passed through before the explosion showed another Kashmiri doctor driving the vehicle, his face apparently masked.
Police have intensified security checks across the city-state with a particular focus on railway stations, where incoming vehicles are being thoroughly inspected.
According to local media reports, important train stations across India – including those in Mumbai, the country’s financial capital in the western state of Maharashtra, and in the northern state of Uttar Pradesh, which borders Delhi – have also been placed on high alert as a precautionary measure.
Videos shared online show the wreckage of several cars scattered along a crowded street in Delhi’s old quarter as police moved in to secure the scene and disperse onlookers.
According to Delhi’s deputy fire chief, the explosion ignited six vehicles and three autorickshaws.
Meanwhile, as authorities respond to the explosion, voters in the eastern state of Bihar are heading to the polls in the second and final phase of state elections, marking a significant political event unfolding alongside heightened national security concerns.
As panic and confusion swept through Old Delhi after the explosion, witnesses described scenes of horror and chaos.
“Suddenly, there was a sound of a blast,” Irfan told Al Jazeera.
“We came running, and we didn’t get too close because we were scared. We saw someone’s hand on the ground. They were completely blown up.”
“I saw someone’s lungs, and I also saw a car’s steering wheel completely damaged. I just cannot express, can’t imagine how their families will deal with this. I cannot describe how big the blast was,” he added.
Relatives of people injured or missing were trying to track down their loved ones.
Speaking to Al Jazeera, Nazish Malik said his brother-in-law, Mohsin, an e-rickshaw driver, was missing after the blast.
“After more than 100 calls on his phone, finally someone answered and said that the phone is at the police post at the Red Fort and your relative has been taken to Lok Nayak Hospital,” Malik recalled.
“When we heard that, we rushed here and got here around 8:30pm [on Monday]. My brother was already here. I got here late but found that the security was so tight, they are not permitting us to go inside,” he added.
“At least announce who is critical and who is dead. You can at least inform that bit,” he said.
Prime Minister Modi said he had been briefed about the attack by Home Minister Amit Shah, and expressed condolences for the lives lost.
Condolences to those who have lost their loved ones in the blast in Delhi earlier this evening. May the injured recover at the earliest. Those affected are being assisted by authorities. Reviewed the situation with Home Minister Amit Shah Ji and other officials.@AmitShah
— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) November 10, 2025
Modi, who is visiting Thimphu, the Bhutanese capital, for a scheduled trip, posted on X: “Today, I have come to Bhutan with a very heavy heart. The horrific incident that happened in Delhi last evening has deeply disturbed everyone.”
The Indian PM added: “Our agencies will get to the very bottom of this conspiracy. The conspirators behind this will not be spared. All those responsible will be brought to justice.”
Defence Minister Rajnath Singh also said investigative agencies are conducting a “swift and thorough” inquiry into the blast.
“The findings of the investigation will soon be made public. I want to formally assure the nation that those responsible for this tragedy will be brought to justice and will not be spared under any circumstances,” Singh said during the Delhi Defence Dialogue organised at the Manohar Parrikar Institute for Defence Studies and Analyses (MP-IDSA) on Tuesday, Indian news agencies reported.
Home Minister Shah chaired a meeting with senior officials in the evening on Tuesday, to review progress in the probe.
“Instructed them to hunt down each and every culprit behind this incident,” he wrote on X, speaking of his interaction with security officials. “Everyone involved in this act will face the full wrath of our agencies.”
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. pic.twitter.com/8UO2PYCvoh
— Amit Shah (@AmitShah) November 11, 2025
Israel’s ambassador to India expressed his condolences.
Heartbreaking scenes in Delhi following the car blast resulting in so many dead and injured. Our deepest condolences to the families of the victims. Wishing speedy recovery to those who survived.
Praise for the rescuers & security forces.
🇮🇱❤️🇮🇳
— 🇮🇱 Reuven Azar (@ReuvenAzar) November 11, 2025
The Embassy of Egypt also extended its condolences to the victims and their families.
On behalf of the People and Government of the Arab Republic of #Egypt, we extend our sincere condolences to the families and loved ones of those affected by the #RedFort blast. Our thoughts and prayers are with the bereaved, and we wish all injured a swift and complete recovery.
— Egyptian Embassy in India (@EgyptinIndia) November 10, 2025
The United Kingdom issued a travel advisory after the explosion, while the embassy of the United States in India released a security alert and extended its condolences. “Our sincere condolences to the families who lost their loved ones. We pray for the swift recovery of those injured,” the US government said.
India: On Nov. 10, a car exploded near the Lal Quila (Red Fort) metro station in central Delhi, India, with local media reporting multiple casualties.
While the cause of the explosion is unknown at this time, the Government of India has placed several Indian states on high alert.… pic.twitter.com/4E44MxxIkT
— Travel – State Dept (@TravelGov) November 10, 2025
Yes, the city has been the target of multiple bombings and attacks over the years – but not in more than a decade.
Yes, Indian cities have been targets of major attacks by armed groups, often associated with Indian-administered Kashmir’s secessionist struggle. In most cases, India has blamed Pakistan-based armed groups and Pakistan’s intelligence services for orchestrating these attacks.
These armed groups have, in several cases, claimed responsibility, and in some cases, Indian authorities have captured suspects.
Here are some of the deadliest attacks in India outside the national capital.
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