‘Cannot say it’s a bomb blast, no pellet injuries’: Delhi Police official on explosion near Red Fort today
An explosion in a moving car in Delhi has been ruled out as a bomb blast by police, citing no crater or splinter injuries. The Maruti Suzuki Eeco was heavily damaged, and forensic teams are gathering evidence.
Amid speculations that the Delhi explosion was a bomb blast, a Delhi Police official has virtually ruled out the possibility.
“An explosion occurred in a moving car on the road. There is no crater at the spot, so we cannot say it was a bomb blast. Also, no pellet or splinter injuries have been reported so far, which are the most common in bomb explosions. The Maruti Suzuki Eeco car, the source of the blast, had two to three occupants and has been completely mangled. Forensic teams are collecting samples,” a Delhi Police official told Hindustan Times.
A powerful car blast near Gate 1 of the Red Fort Metro station on 10 November killed at least eight people and injured 24. Witnesses said the explosion was so strong they thought they “were all going to die”. Several vehicles caught fire and sustained significant damage, officials confirmed.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi spoke with Home Minister Amit Shah in the wake of the blast in Delhi, according to ANI, which cited government sources.
Amit Shah on Delhi blast
Home Minister Amit Shah has also spoken on the Delhi explosion. “All nearby CCTV cameras will be inspected to find clues,” he said. Shah earlier met with Delhi Police Commissioner Satish Golcha and a team of doctors at Lok Nayak Jai Prakash Narayan (LNJP) Hospital.
“Preliminary reports indicate that some people have lost their lives. Within 10 minutes of receiving the information of the blast, teams from the Delhi Crime Branch and Delhi Special Branch arrived at the spot,” Amit Shah said.
“I have also spoken to the Delhi CP and the Special Branch in charge. The Delhi CP and the Special Branch in charge are present at the spot. We are exploring all possibilities and will conduct a thorough investigation, taking all possibilities into account. All options will be investigated immediately, and we will present the results to the public,” he added.
Ayodhya on high alert
Meanwhile, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath has ordered the UP Police to remain on high alert. CM Yogi sought details of the incident from Director General of Police (DGP) Rajeev Krishna, as reported by PTI, citing an official statement.
Quick Response Teams (QRT), Anti-Terrorist Squad (ATS), bomb disposal squads, and dog squads have been kept on standby. Foot patrol has been intensified, DGP Krishna said.
In Ayodhya, Inspector General Praveen Kumar took to the streets and checked vehicles. Varanasi is also on high alert, as is Lucknow.