Delhi woke up to an unsettling sight of the Red Fort. The monument, which is usually buzzing with tourists and school groups, stood barricaded and silent. The Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) has mandated the monument to be shut for three days after a car explosion. The explosion led to a death toll of at least eight people.
Delhi was hurled into a state of shock and tension after an explosion took place barely 100 metres from the Peshavari Gate of the Red Fort. The area was altered into a high-alert zone, with police, NSG commandos and security forces closing entry points, halting traffic and tightening surveillance. The blast is suspected to be a link to an earlier explosive-related discovery in Faridabad.
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Suspicious car becomes key to the investigation
A Hyundai i20 with a number plate reading as HR26 has risen as a major development of the probe. The car reportedly belongs to a man named Salman, who is already in police custody. Salman asserted that he had sold the vehicle before the incident during interrogation. It led the investigators to look for the current possessor. The investigating team are using CCTV footage and digital tracking to map the car’s movement leading up to the Red Fort area. The police are linking this incident to a recent case in Faridabad involving the discovery of explosives. These cases are being examined together to see whether they suggest a coordinated act or a larger network.
City under heavy security clampdown
Security measures have increased across central Delhi. All vehicular movement has been stopped beyond the Jama Masjid Metro Gate 4 checkpoint. The metro station gates and nearby subways have been shut. The press officials, Delhi Police and NSG commandos were allowed to access the sealed zone. The ripple effect is being felt much beyond Old Delhi. The key administrative buildings like the Indian National Congress office, Maharashtra Bhavan, and Haryana Bhavan, etc, are being guarded by armed forces. The streets that are normally flooded with tourists and locals now stand deserted. An ASI official spoke to the media, mentioning that suspending entry “supports the ongoing police probe and ensures visitor safety.”
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The aftereffects of the incident
The impact is more than logistical. For shopkeepers around the monument, the sudden closure and the incident imply a blow to business during the tourist season. The locals expressed their fear and uncertainty, mentioning that they have never seen the area this quiet.
With a suspicious vehicle, cross-state explosive links and a sealed-off stretch of the city, Delhi finds itself clasping its breath as authorities try to identify the perpetrators. The capital waits to be guarded, anxious, and watching for answers as the investigation unfolds.
