Delhi chief minister Rekha Gupta called the car explosion near the Red Fort Metro Station “extremely distressing and alarming,” hours after the blast killed at least eight people and injured several others on Monday evening. In a statement posted on X, she offered condolences to the bereaved families and said that comprehensive assistance was being provided to those affected.

Gupta noted that multiple agencies—including the Delhi Police, National Security Guard (NSG), National Investigation Agency (NIA), and Forensic Science Laboratory (FSL)—were jointly conducting a detailed investigation to identify the cause of the explosion. She urged residents to stay calm, avoid circulating or believing rumours, and rely strictly on verified updates from official sources.

The explosion occurred near Gate No. 1 of the Lal Quila Metro Station and was powerful enough to ignite nearby vehicles and shatter windows several metres away. The intensity of the blast caused panic across the congested area as emergency responders worked to contain the fire, evacuate the injured, and cordon off the site. Authorities quickly raised the alert level in Delhi, while several states—including Maharashtra, West Bengal, Gujarat, Bihar, and Uttar Pradesh—were also placed on high alert as a precaution.

Union home minister Amit Shah visited both the blast site and the hospital treating the injured. He stated that all possibilities were being examined and that central agencies were coordinating closely with the Delhi Police to determine whether the explosion was accidental, criminal, or terror-related.

The incident occurred on the same day that Jammu and Kashmir Police, along with multiple agencies across states, dismantled a terror module linked to Jaish-e-Mohammed and Ansar Ghazwat-ul-Hind. The module reportedly operated across Kashmir, Haryana, and Uttar Pradesh. Eight individuals—including three doctors—were arrested in Faridabad as part of the crackdown. Investigators recovered 360 kilograms of explosives and weapons from a house in Dhauj village, which one of the arrested doctors had rented.

While there is no confirmed link between the Red Fort blast and the terror module uncovered earlier in the day, the two events have heightened vigilance nationwide. Investigators continue piecing together evidence from the blast site as security agencies assess whether the explosion was an isolated incident or part of a larger threat landscape.