FLASH
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Indian police suspect terrorist attack...
A powerful explosion rocked the Indian capital, New Delhi, on Monday evening, killing at least eight people and injuring over 20 near the historic Red Fort monument, one of India's most visited attractions.
According to authorities, the explosion occurred at around 6:52 p.m. local time (1:22 p.m. GMT), when a slow-moving vehicle stopped at a traffic light and suddenly exploded, engulfing other surrounding vehicles and creating a scene of complete destruction.
Footage from the scene showed cars engulfed in flames and metal fragments scattered across the road. Witnesses spoke of "a terrifying explosion that shook the entire area", while emergency services arrived within minutes to evacuate the injured.
High-level investigations and terrorism risk
India's Home Minister Amit Shah is chairing an emergency security meeting with top police and intelligence officials to assess the situation. Security sources say authorities are "examining all options," including a terror attack.
Although no explosive fragments or shrapnel have been found yet, the police have registered cases under the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act (UAPA) and the Explosive Substances Act, signaling that the incident is being treated with utmost seriousness.
Delhi Police official Raja Banthia said that "there is no evidence yet about the exact nature of the explosion," while the team of investigators has cordoned off the area and is analyzing the remains of the vehicle for chemical traces.
Emergency measures in the capital
The Red Fort, a 17th-century monument visited by thousands of tourists every day, will remain closed for three days. Traffic in central Delhi has been restricted and security has been tightened at all strategic areas of the capital, including embassies, metro stations and the international airport.
Minister Shah called on citizens to "remain calm and not fall prey to misinformation," while warning that "those behind this act will face severe punishment."
A wound that awakens dark memories
The blast near the Red Fort has revived fears of terrorist attacks that have hit India in the past. In 2000, another gun attack took place in the same area, killing several people. This time, the scale of the damage and the timing, in an area symbolic of Indian history and identity, have deeply shocked public opinion.
Investigations are ongoing, while law enforcement is looking for the involvement of a domestic or foreign network.
Police claim that the Delhi blast is linked to the destruction of a "transnational and interstate terrorist module" and the alleged seizure of a large quantity of explosive materials in a nearby city called Faridabad, hours before the blast.
Faridabad, an industrial area in the neighboring state of Haryana, is located just 30 km (18 miles) from the area in Delhi where Monday's blast occurred.
According to the Indian Express newspaper, police in Indian-administered Kashmir had arrested two Kashmiri doctors from Faridabad and Saharanpur districts of Uttar Pradesh state for suspected links to Jaish-e-Mohammad, a Pakistan-based militant group whose members have fought against Indian forces in Kashmir for decades. /Pamphlet
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