Security agencies across poll-bound Bihar have been placed on high alert following a powerful explosion near Delhi’s Red Fort that killed at least thirteen people and injured over twenty others on Monday evening. The incident has raised nationwide alarm, especially with Bihar heading into the final phase of its assembly elections on November 11.
Top police officials confirmed that security in the state — already heightened due to polling — has been further tightened across all sensitive districts and at the Indo-Nepal border. Troops from the Border Security Force and state intelligence units are monitoring every entry point to prevent any cross-border movement of suspicious individuals.
Red Fort Blast: What Happened in Delhi?
According to Delhi Police, a Hyundai i20 car, registered in Haryana to a man named Nadeem, became the epicentre of a deadly explosion near the Red Fort Metro Station’s Gate No. 1 around 6:52 PM. The powerful blast engulfed 22 nearby vehicles, including an e-rickshaw, and sparked a massive fire.
Delhi Police Commissioner Satish Golcha said, “Today at 6.52 pm, a slow-moving vehicle stopped at the red light. An explosion happened in that vehicle, and due to the explosion, nearby vehicles were also damaged. Some people have died, and some have been injured.”
He added that Union Home Minister Amit Shah was in constant touch with officials and had briefed Prime Minister Narendra Modi on the situation. Deputy Chief Fire Officer A.K. Malik confirmed that “the fire was brought under control only at 7.29 pm,” after seven firefighting units rushed to the spot.
i20 car was involved in the Red Fort Blast
While initial reports identified the car as a Hyundai i20, some eyewitnesses claimed it was a Maruti Swift Dzire, adding confusion to the ongoing probe. Forensic teams from the National Investigation Agency (NIA) and Delhi Police are examining the mangled remains to determine the exact cause and nature of the blast. Officials noted the absence of a crater, which is typical in bomb explosions, suggesting the possibility of an internal detonation inside the vehicle.
Hours After Explosives and AK-47 Found in Faridabad
The Red Fort blast came just hours after a major terror plot was uncovered in Faridabad, Haryana. Police, acting on intelligence from an arrested Jammu and Kashmir-based doctor, Adil Rather, seized 350 kg of ammonium nitrate, along with arms, detonators, and timers, from a rented house linked to Dr Muzammil Shakeel — another medical professional from J&K working at Al-Falah Hospital in Faridabad.
According to police, the discovery was part of an investigation into an inter-state terror module connected to the banned outfits Jaish-e-Mohammed and Ansar Ghazwat-ul-Hind, an al-Qaeda affiliate. Multiple raids led to the arrest of Rather, Shakeel, and a woman doctor, from whose car — a Maruti Swift Dzire — an assault rifle and ammunition were recovered. A second rifle was later found in a staff locker at a hospital in Anantnag.
Officials believe the Red Fort explosion and the Faridabad arms seizure may be linked, with the NIA and Delhi Police jointly probing a possible coordinated terror plan.
As Delhi remains on high alert, security agencies in Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan, Uttarakhand, and Maharashtra have been instructed to stay vigilant and increase patrolling near vital installations and crowded areas.
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