At least 8 people killed in car explosion

A car explosion near Delhi’s historic Red Fort has killed at least eight people and injured many more, authorities said.

Delhi city police spokesman Sanjay Tyagi confirmed the deaths to the BBC and said a further 20 people were injured.

Police are investigating the cause of the explosion and are “looking into all possibilities,” Mr Tyagi said.

Delhi Police Commissioner Satish Golcha told reporters that at around 18:52 local time (13:52 GMT), a slow-moving vehicle stopped at a traffic light and exploded, damaging nearby vehicles.

Mr Tyagi told the BBC that the explosion occurred in a Hyundai i20 car that was moving with three people at the time.

Uttar Pradesh, bordering Mumbai and Delhi, India’s financial centers, has also been put on alert.

The blast occurred near a metro station close to the Red Fort, one of Delhi’s most famous landmarks.

The Mughal fort, visited by thousands of tourists every year, was built in the 17th century and is where Indian prime ministers deliver their Independence Day speeches every year.

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed condolences to those who lost loved ones in the explosion.

Opposition leader Rahul Gandhi said in a statement the news was “extremely heartbreaking.”

Union Home Minister Amit Shah said teams from India’s National Security Guard and National Investigation Agency were investigating the blast along with forensic experts.

“We are exploring all possibilities and will conduct a thorough investigation considering all possibilities,” he added. “We will immediately investigate all options and make the results available to the public,” he added.

The minister, who visited the blast site and a nearby hospital, said a meeting attended by senior officials would be held on Tuesday morning.

Security is being strengthened at “sensitive religious sites, vulnerable areas and border areas” in the northern state of Uttar Pradesh following the blasts in nearby Delhi, senior police official Amitabh Yash said.

Uttar Pradesh is a state with a high population density and famous historical sites such as the Taj Mahal.

Local businessman Veeru Sindhi, who was at the scene when the explosion occurred, described a harrowing scene with several bodies and vehicles engulfed in flames.

He told the BBC: “I was completely shocked by what I saw.” “We tried to rescue people who were trapped inside the vehicle.”

One witness described the aftermath of the explosion as chaotic and chaotic.

He was just a few hundred meters away from the scene when he heard a loud explosion.

“It felt like everything stopped for a few seconds before everyone started running everywhere,” he told the BBC.

He did not go near the scene, but he could see damaged car parts catching fire and local residents trying to help the injured.

The explosion site is under tight security with personnel from the Uttar Pradesh Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS), National Security Forces (NSG), and Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) deployed. Armed officers were seen moving into the area as investigations continued.

Additional reporting by Charlotte Scarr and Dilnawaz Pasha.