NEW DELHI: At least eight people were killed and 20 people were injured after a blast occurred near the landmark Red Fort in the Indian capital New Delhi on Monday evening, local media reported.
Visuals on local media showed flames and smoke billowing from more than one vehicle near Lal Qila Metro Station in the old part of Delhi.
The exact cause of the blast was being investigated, city police spokesperson Sanjay Tyagi said. “Eight people have been killed in the explosion,” Tyagi said.
The explosion prompted authorities to rush seven fire tenders to the spot, and the police cordoned off the area.
Delhi Police Commissioner Satish Golcha said the blast took place minutes before 6:30 pm PKT.
“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,” he told reporters.
At least six vehicles and three autorickshaws caught fire, Delhi’s deputy fire chief said, adding that the flames had been doused by firefighting teams.
Indian Republic TV, citing sources, has confirmed that a CNG cylinder caused a blast.
As soon as the explosion was reported, Indian social media users began blaming Pakistan to divert attention from their own failures and involvement in this incident, similar to what happened in Pahalgam.
Indian Social Media handlers have started blaming Pakistan without investigation and confirmation of the tragedy that struck a busy area of New Delhi.
