Updated on: November 13, 2025, 9:15 PM IST

Three days after a devastating car explosion near Delhi’s Red Fort, survivors continue to battle not just physical wounds but deep psychological scars. The blast — one of the deadliest in the capital’s recent memory — tore through a busy intersection near Lal Qila Metro Station on Monday evening, killing at least 10 people and injuring more than 20 others.

While investigators have begun piecing together how the tragedy unfolded, the victims and first responders are now grappling with pain, hearing loss, sleepless nights, and haunting memories. At Lok Nayak Jai Prakash (LNJP) Hospital, where many of the injured were admitted, doctors say the range of injuries reflects the sheer intensity of the explosion.

Survivors in Recovery

As of Thursday evening, hospital authorities said 12 patients remain in the emergency ward, six are under observation in the isolation ward, four in the ICU, four in the neurosurgery unit, and one in the trauma centre.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who visited the hospital on Wednesday, met several survivors and their families, assuring them of the best possible medical care.

Among those undergoing treatment is 28-year-old Mohammad Safwan from Chennai. He sustained abrasions and swelling in his leg, bruises across his body, and pain in both ears — a common complaint among survivors.

Another patient, Shiva Jaiswal, also 28, from Uttar Pradesh, is suffering from severe hearing issues, burns on his arms, forearm, and face, and multiple abrasions. Both men are being treated for what doctors describe as “blast-related trauma,” a complex combination of burns, fractures, and ear injuries caused by the shockwave.

Out of the ten fatalities, officials said only eight victims have been identified so far. Several bodies were brought in dismembered, complicating identification and forensic analysis.

Experts on Blast-Related Hearing Loss

Medical experts say that the hearing problems reported by survivors are consistent with acoustic trauma — an injury caused by sudden, intense sound waves from explosions.

Dr. Devinder Rai, Senior Consultant at the ENT Department of Sir Ganga Ram Hospital, explained:

“In high-intensity blasts, the impact depends on the person’s distance from the explosion and their individual susceptibility. Some people have what we call ‘soft ears,’ meaning they are more sensitive to sound-induced trauma.”

He added that such injuries could result in temporary or permanent hearing loss, persistent ringing in the ears (tinnitus), or chronic pain. “In many cases, patients experience dizziness, loss of balance, or even emotional distress. The recovery depends on both physical and psychological rehabilitation,” Dr. Rai said.

The hospital’s psychiatry unit has also begun offering counseling sessions to victims and their families, as many have reported symptoms of shock, insomnia, and post-traumatic stress.

First Responders Recall the Horror

Beyond those injured, the Red Fort blast has left an indelible mark on those who witnessed and responded to it. For the first few minutes after the explosion, local residents and shopkeepers became the city’s first line of rescue.

Rajeev Kumar, a cosmetics shop owner near the blast site, said he was one of the first to rush toward the burning vehicle.

“I thought it was a cylinder blast at first. But when I saw people lying on the road, bleeding, I just ran. One man was writhing in pain — I helped lift him into a rickshaw to take him to the hospital,” Kumar recalled.

The next two nights, he said, he barely slept. On Wednesday, he visited LNJP Hospital to check on the man he had helped. “I just wanted to know if he survived. When something like this happens before your eyes, it doesn’t leave your mind easily,” he said quietly.

‘I Carried Body Parts in My Hands’

For ambulance driver Fizaan, who rushed several victims to the hospital, the images from that night are seared into memory.

“I carried body parts in my hands. They were shaking,” he said. “We didn’t know what had happened. Sometimes tyres burst, and the sound feels similar. But then our officer radioed that it was a blast, and we rushed to Red Fort.”

His colleague Imran, who was with him that evening, described scenes of chaos and disbelief.

“We didn’t think much at that time. We just started lifting people. Some weren’t moving at all, some were screaming in pain. The smell of smoke, fuel, and burnt metal was everywhere. Some bodies were so badly mutilated that we couldn’t tell who was alive or dead,” he said.

Both men have since been offered trauma counseling through the Delhi government’s emergency response programme. But like many other first responders, they say they are still struggling to process what they saw.

The Human Toll of a Terror Attack

Even as the investigation points to terror involvement, the aftermath reveals the long and painful recovery that victims of such attacks endure. Doctors at LNJP and other Delhi hospitals say the impact of a blast extends far beyond the visible injuries — often manifesting as psychological distress, anxiety, and fear of public spaces.

According to experts, the shockwave from an explosion can rupture eardrums, damage internal organs, and cause traumatic brain injuries. The psychological scars, however, can linger much longer.

Dr. Richa Verma, a trauma psychologist associated with LNJP Hospital, said, “Many patients experience flashbacks, nightmares, or guilt that they survived when others didn’t. Early psychological support is as important as physical treatment.”

A City on Edge

The Red Fort area, a major tourist destination, has been under tight security since the blast. Barricades and checkpoints have been set up, and police continue to monitor CCTV footage from the vicinity. The Delhi Police’s Special Cell and National Investigation Agency (NIA) are jointly leading the probe, focusing on tracing the origin of the explosives and the network behind the attack.

Officials have confirmed that ammonium nitrate, a chemical commonly used in improvised explosive devices, was found in vehicles linked to the suspects. The explosion, which took place near one of India’s most iconic landmarks, has reignited concerns about urban security and emergency preparedness.

A Shared Grief

As Delhi mourns the victims, public anger and grief have converged into calls for justice and stronger counterterrorism measures. The hospital corridors, however, tell a quieter story — one of resilience, compassion, and survival.

Nurses and volunteers continue to work long hours to comfort victims and families waiting for word about their loved ones. “We’ve seen everything from hope to heartbreak here,” said one nurse, wiping her eyes after assisting in a late-night surgery.

For survivors like Safwan and Jaiswal, the road to recovery will be long. Hearing aids, reconstructive surgeries, and counseling sessions are only part of the process. “It’s not just about healing the wounds,” said a doctor. “It’s about helping them feel safe again.”

As the investigation deepens and the nation seeks accountability, the survivors of the Red Fort blast are left to rebuild — their bodies battered, their minds shaken, and their lives forever altered.

What remains constant is the echo of that fateful evening — a sound that, for many, may never truly fade.