Red Fort Blast Fatalities Climb to 13, Many Victims Remain Unidentified

The death toll from the blast near the Red Fort Metro Station has risen to 13, with officials saying many bodies remain unidentified after the explosion inside a moving car outside Gate No. 1 on Monday evening.

An investigation is underway, though authorities have not yet confirmed the cause of the blast.

The blast occurred in a slow-moving Hyundai i20 car at the Subhash Marg traffic signal near the Red Fort around 7 pm, and security forces are now scrambling to determine what triggered the explosion. 

In the aftermath, the Red Fort Metro Station has been shut, and the Red Fort itself has been temporarily closed to the public for three days. 

Forensic teams, Delhi Police and NIA personnel, along with dog squads, are examining the site and collecting samples. A case under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) and the Explosives Act has been registered.

Initial probe findings suggest that detonators, ammonium nitrate and fuel oil may have been used in the blast, and police sources say investigators are exploring possible links to the Faridabad terror module, from which nearly 360 kg of ammonium nitrate was seized earlier.

On Tuesday, Delhi Police said that after scanning over 100 CCTV cameras, they had traced the Hyundai i20 entering the Capital from the Badarpur toll booth via the Faridabad road at around 8:13 am on Monday.

Meanwhile, security has been tightened across the national Capital and beyond. The CISF said all installations secured by the force,  including the Delhi Metro, the Red Fort complex, government buildings, and the Indira Gandhi International (IGI) airport,  have been placed on high alert. Additional personnel have been deployed at metro stations and major government facilities. 

“In the wake of the explosion, all installations secured by CISF including the Delhi Metro, Red Fort, government buildings and the IGI Airport have been placed on high alert. The situation is being constantly monitored and personnel are on standby,” the CISF statement said.

Several states,  including Karnataka, Punjab, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, and Jammu & Kashmir,  have been placed on high alert following the Delhi blast. 

The UK’s Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) has also reiterated its advisory against travel within 10 km of the India-Pakistan border and to most parts of Jammu & Kashmir, except for air travel to Jammu and movement within the city.

Union Home Minister Amit Shah has called a high-level security review meeting at his residence on Tuesday morning to discuss the situation and assess further steps, hours after the Red Fort blast triggered nationwide security concerns.

As the investigation continues, political leaders and social-media users intensified demands for Union Home Minister Amit Shah’s accountability, with “Resign Amit Shah” trending on X. 

Congress leaders circulated lists of major terror strikes that took place under BJP-led governments, while Maharashtra Congress chief Nana Patole said the “56-inch government must answer” for the Red Fort blast. 

Several users also questioned the absence of top leaders from Delhi during the incident. One widely shared post read, “Modi held 11 rallies and one roadshow in Bihar, Amit Shah held 34 rallies and one roadshow, and Delhi CM Rekha Gupta held 18 rallies,  so who was looking after security in Delhi? But if you ask this, you are anti-national.”

TMC MP Saket Gokhale also questioned,  “A blast in the heart of India’s capital Delhi. Over 12 innocents killed. Who controls Delhi Police? Who controls borders? Who does IB report to? WHERE is Amit Shah’s accountability?”

Congress national coordinator Gaurav Pandhi called Shah “a total disaster” and demanded his immediate resignation, saying the Home Minister must take responsibility for the security lapse.

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