On 10 November 2025 a high-intensity explosion ripped through a Hyundai i20 at the Subhash Marg traffic signal in close proximity to Gate No. 1 of the Red Fort (Lal Qila) metro station in Old Delhi. The blast happened around 18:50–18:52hrs IST.
Officially at least eight people were killed and several others injured (some reports say 24 or more wounded).
Authorities have issued high alerts in multiple states—not just Delhi. For example, neighbours like Uttar Pradesh and Maharashtra have been asked to beef up security at sensitive sites.
Investigative teams have been deployed: National Investigation Agency (NIA), National Security Guard (NSG), forensic units and local police. CCTV footage is being collected and examined.
No group has publicly claimed responsibility yet — there’s no verified claim of responsibility for the explosion.
The forensic findings are not yet publicly released: whether this was an improvised explosive device, vehicular accident, gas/ fuel-tank explosion or something else remains under investigation. Multiple officials stress “all possibilities are being examined”.
No individual has been formally named or charged in the public domain as the perpetrator of the incident (as of now).
Some conflicting data: while several sources mention “8 dead”, others suggest “13 dead” or higher. The final, official casualty figure is still being revised.
The timing and location is worth noting as the blast took place on a busy signal with close proximity to the national monument area in Delhi’s Old City, raising the urgency of the threat assessment.
There were prior high-profile seizures of explosive materials and arrests in the region the same day (e.g., in Faridabad, Haryana) which investigators say are being checked for links.
Officials emphasise the importance of examining forensic clues — e.g., absence of a large crater, nature of injuries (some reports say “no pellet or shrapnel injuries” which might distinguish a bomb from a fuel/vehicle explosion) — to determine cause.
Arrests, seizures and the investigatory context
In the hours before and after the Red Fort blast, Indian security agencies were active in series of operations that they said uncovered a large cache of explosive material and led to several arrests.
- Law-enforcement teams in Haryana’s Faridabad recovered a very large quantity of suspected bomb-making material and associated items — reporting in several outlets puts the figure in the hundreds to thousands of kilograms of ammonium-nitrate-type precursors and other reagents and components. Authorities said those recoveries followed arrests earlier this week of individuals (including medical professionals in Jammu & Kashmir who were detained earlier) and that a broader “module” was being probed.
- Separately, state anti-terror squads and the Gujarat ATS the previous day announced arrests in unrelated but contemporaneous cases (including references in reporting to arrests connected with alleged plans involving ricin and drone-borne weapons). Multiple outlets emphasized that police were treating the Red Fort blast as an active crime scene and were probing whether any of those earlier arrests or recoveries were connected.
Official statements and on-scene testimony (selected quotes)
Delhi Police Commissioner Satish Golcha (to reporters): “A slow-moving vehicle stopped at a red light. An explosion happened in that vehicle, and due to the explosion, nearby vehicles were also damaged. The situation is being monitored.” — (commissioner’s summary of how the blast occurred).
Union Home Minister Amit Shah (summing up the federal response): officials said “all possibilities are being probed” and that central agencies had been deployed to the scene.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi (social media/official readout): expressed condolences and said he had reviewed the situation with the Home Minister and senior officials.
Eyewitness (to on-scene reporters): “We heard a big sound, our windows shook … there were body parts on the road” — descriptions of the immediate horror and damage were widely reported and used by channels carrying live on-scene footage. (Eyewitness accounts are distressing and partially corroborate the violence of the blast in multiple video clips and local reports.)
On the seizures and arrests in the region, investigative sources quoted in Indian media described recovery of weapons, timers, remote-control components and a very large quantity of explosive precursor — materials that, if linked to the blast, would indicate a capability for constructing multiple improvised explosive devices.
Forensic and investigative posture (what agencies are doing)
Delhi Police rapidly cordoned the area and forensic teams (FSL), the National Investigation Agency (NIA) and National Security Guard (NSG) components were reported on site to collect evidence, examine the vehicle wreckage, gather CCTV footage and interview witnesses. Investigators reportedly prioritized: (a) establishing whether the explosion was caused by an IED or by a mechanical/vehicle malfunction, (b) tracing vehicle ownership and occupants, (c) verifying links (if any) to the day’s prior arrests and major explosives seizures, and (d) reviewing CCTV/AIS/GPS/telecom data for movement and handlers. Officials repeatedly cautioned that early casualty numbers and impressions could change as analysis progressed.
Analysis – Possible motive, capability and likely lines of inquiry
(These are evidence-based inferences drawn from the public reporting and standard investigative practice; they are not new factual claims about responsibility.)
- Why investigators will examine the timing and geographic proximity of recent seizures:
The Faridabad and other seizures reported earlier in the day involved unusually large quantities of explosive precursors and components (reporting gives amounts from the low hundreds to multiple tonnes in aggregated accounts). If forensic traces from the blast match the chemistries or components seized elsewhere (detonator types, wiring, circuit boards, or residue), that would establish a stronger operational link than temporal coincidence alone. Conversely, if residue and blast pattern are inconsistent with IED-type materials, investigators will move toward accident/mechanical causes.
- Capability question — scale of recovered materials matters:
Reporting that thousands of kilograms of precursor materials were recovered (multiple outlets) suggests a potentially industrial-scale cache. Such quantities, if verified, raise the possibility of planned multiple devices — which is likely why central agencies have been mobilized. However, chain-of-custody, laboratory confirmation of composition and site forensic matches remain necessary before drawing operational conclusions.
- On responsibility claims:
At the time of our reporting, no group had publicly claimed responsibility. Historically, violent incidents in public spaces may produce opportunistic claims from fringe groups or deliberate silence from operational networks; investigators therefore depend first on physical and digital evidence rather than public claims to assign responsibility.
- Security and political implications:
The blast at or near a national monument raises both practical and symbolic concerns — the Red Fort is heavily policed and nationally symbolic (the Prime Minister addresses the nation from its ramparts). A successful attack (if confirmed) would trigger a policy and political response: intensified counter-terror operations, wider forensic sweeps, and increased checkpoints at transit hubs; it could also reshape the public debate about intelligence shortfalls and inter-agency coordination. Officials’ quick public remarks that “all possibilities are being explored” and immediate deployment of NIA/NSG reflect that sensitivity.
It is important to note that the incident is a developing news, hence what has been reported here is the preliminary report with expected development and addendum in next hours.
Sources and references (materials consulted)
- Reuters — Eight killed in car explosion near Red Fort in India's Delhi.
- NDTV — Delhi Red Fort Blast LIVE updates (commissioner quotes, casualty figures, probe agencies on site).
- India Today — Blast in i20 car near Red Fort, casualties and on-scene eyewitness accounts.
- NDTV / India Today reporting on the Faridabad seizures and arrests (ammonium nitrate / 2,900 kg figure and arrests of doctors / module reporting).
- Economic Times / Moneycontrol live updates — statements by Union Home Minister Amit Shah / PM Modi briefings and continuing live coverage.
