At least 13 people are dead and 20 badly injured in what seems nearly confirmed a terrorist blast in a car in Delhi in the highest density area of Red Fort and Chandni Chowk, Old Delhi. The blast occurred at prime traffic and shopping time in the most congested and historic area. The impact sent flames tens of feet high, big portions of the suspected car and other vehicles flying 100 meters and body parts of the dead lay severed and strewn. Delhi Police, National Investigation Agency (NIA), National Security Guard and Forensic teams reached the sport within 10-15 minutes and the area has been cordoned off and closed to people and traffic for 24 hours. Footage has been retrieved from hundreds of CCTVs spread in and around the area to track down terrorists and establish the identity and owner of the suspected vehicle. The blast suspected to have occurred in a white colored small car.
Initial speculation that a Compact Natural Gas (CNG) cylinder in the car used as fuel could have exploded has been negated by agencies due to the nature of the blast and its impact. The car slowed and came to a stop at a red traffic light near Gate 1 of the Red Fort metro station, and suddenly a huge blast happened. Early investigation point to the car plate being traced to Haryana state and registered in the name of someone in Haryana. A Delhi Police team has arrested a person who alleges the car was sold off to someone. A live bullet was also found at the incident site. Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah were briefed by investigation agencies. Shah rushed to the spot of the incident and the hospital. This blast follows within hours of the police busting an interstate terror module and recovered nearly 3,000 kilograms of suspected ammonium nitrate, a chemical used in making explosives.
Materials can be used for making hundreds of powerful IEDs that might have targeted Delhi. Several suspected terrorists with explosives, AK 47 and ammunitions were arrested in the last two days in Faridabad, about 25 kilometres from Delhi, and Lucknow, the capital of Uttar Pradesh. High grade explosives and arms were recovered from raids in Kashmir with a huge cache of serious arms. The blast brings back harrowing memories a series of blasts in India in 2008 that finally culminated in the worst ever terrorist attack the same year on 26th November in Mumbai. The latest Delhi blast is also in the 11th month. Mumbai, Kolkata, parts of Maharashtra, Rajasthan, Haryana and Uttar Pradesh states are also on high alert.