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Shattered Calm: Explosion Near Red Fort Unmasks Apparent Terror Conspiracy
Monday's deadly explosion near Delhi's Red Fort claimed 12 lives and left dozens others injured. (Image: Getty)
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🔴❌ RED ALERT ❌🔴
NEW DELHI, November 11, 2025 – The air of India's capital, perpetually bustling yet historically weighty, was violently shattered on Monday evening by a massive explosion near the iconic Red Fort, leaving at least eight people dead and 20 injured. What began as a tragic traffic incident quickly morphed into a national security crisis, culminating this morning with the Delhi Police filing a case under the stringent sections of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) and the Explosives Act. The swift escalation signifies a clear shift in the investigation's focus—from a devastating accident to a meticulously planned act of terror.
The blast, which occurred at approximately 7:00 PM IST on Subhash Marg near Gate No. 1 of the Lal Qila Metro Station, involved a Hyundai i20 car that investigators now believe was carrying a significant improvised explosive device (IED). The ferocity of the explosion, which reduced the vehicle to a smoldering wreck and severely damaged multiple surrounding cars and auto-rickshaws, instantly plunged the nation into a state of high alert.
The Epicentre of Chaos: How the Night Unfolded
The blast site, tragically situated near a key commuter hub and one of India’s most potent symbols of sovereignty—the place where every Prime Minister hoists the national flag on Independence Day—was immediately sealed off. Eyewitness accounts painted a harrowing picture of the aftermath.
“I saw someone’s hand on the road, we were absolutely shocked,” recounted one local resident who rushed to the scene. Another shopkeeper described the sound as an apocalyptic roar, causing him to fall repeatedly and believe "the earth was going to burst." Ambulances and fire tenders arrived almost immediately, collecting four to five bodies in the initial minutes of chaos.
Timeline of Crisis:
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Approx. 6:52 PM: A slow-moving Hyundai i20 car stops at the Subhash Marg traffic signal.
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Approx. 7:00 PM: A high-intensity explosion rips through the vehicle.
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7:42 PM - 8:12 PM: Initial reports confirm fatalities, with the death toll rapidly rising from one to eight, and 12 to 20 injured persons rushed to Lok Nayak Hospital (LNJP).
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8:30 PM onwards: Top investigative agencies, including the national security Guard (NSG) and the National Investigation Agency (NIA), are immediately deployed to the site.
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9:47 PM: Prime Minister Narendra Modi is briefed by Union Home Minister Amit Shah, who vows a relentless probe.
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Morning, Nov 11: Delhi Police formally files the First Information Report (FIR) under UAPA and the Explosives Act, cementing the terror angle.
The State Response: A United Front Against Sabotage
The political and security apparatus responded with maximum intensity. Union Home Minister Amit Shah personally visited the explosion site and the injured at LNJP Hospital, announcing that all angles would be investigated with "full intensity."
"Top agencies are investigating this incident, taking all possibilities into account," Shah stated, underscoring the gravity of the attack on the national capital. This immediate deployment of the NIA—India's primary counter-terror force—and the forensic expertise of the NSG confirms that intelligence and law enforcement were operating on the premise of a terror-related incident from the outset.
The decision to invoke UAPA, the nation's most stringent anti-terror law, is a critical step that grants investigators sweeping powers, signalling the government’s determination to treat this as an attempt to threaten the security and integrity of the country. This contrasts with earlier, more cautious statements from some officials who initially mentioned the lack of a crater or shrapnel—classic hallmarks of a sophisticated IED. However, the sheer scale of the blast, the total destruction of the vehicle, and the tragic number of fatalities have clearly guided the final assessment.
The Black Box of the Blast: An I20 Under Scrutiny
Central to the burgeoning investigation is the metallic debris of the Hyundai i20, a vehicle that may hold the 'smoking gun' of the conspiracy. Police Commissioner Satish Golcha confirmed that the explosion occurred in the slow-moving vehicle, which was registered in a neighbouring state.
A vital breakthrough came with the detention of two individuals linked to the vehicle's ownership. The investigation team is now meticulously tracing the car's convoluted chain of ownership, with preliminary intelligence suggesting the vehicle may have been passed through multiple hands using fraudulent documentation, possibly pointing toward a deliberate effort to obscure the true handler.
CCTV footage from near the Lal Qila Metro Station Gate 1 and surrounding areas is being scoured, not just to map the car's movements but to identify the driver and any potential accomplices who may have been surveilling or co-ordinating the blast. The possibility of the IED detonating prematurely, potentially claiming the life of its own carrier, is one of the grim possibilities being investigated by forensic experts.
National Alert: Security on Edge
The blast near the Red Fort—a monument that has faced previous terror attacks, including the 2000 assault by Lashkar-e-Taiba operatives—has sent shockwaves far beyond Delhi. Within hours, a high alert was sounded across multiple states, reflecting deep-seated security concerns about a wider, coordinated module.
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North Indian States: Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan, Punjab, and Uttarakhand were immediately placed on high alert.
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Security Hubs: The Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) put the Delhi Metro network, Indira Gandhi International Airport, and all government buildings under heightened vigilance.
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Key Areas: All railway stations were put on precautionary alert, and in Old Delhi, the historic Chandni Chowk market was ordered to be closed for the following day as a safety measure.
The extensive multi-state alert, particularly the directive to poll-bound Bihar, suggests that central intelligence agencies believe the incident is not isolated but potentially linked to a broader network attempting to destabilize the nation’s sense of security. The coming days will be crucial as the NIA begins to formally take over the investigation, following the digital trail of the vehicle, scrutinizing communication intercepts, and piecing together the final moments before the blast that brought tragedy to the shadow of the Red Fort.
The Path Forward: The investigation now hinges on forensic analysis, DNA evidence from the deceased driver, and tracing the source of the explosive material. The invocation of UAPA marks the beginning of a relentless campaign to dismantle what appears to be a sophisticated terror network. The nation watches, demanding not just justice for the victims, but an unshakeable assurance that the sanctity of its most cherished symbols and the safety of its citizens will be restored.
Would you like me to provide a summary of the latest developments from the NIA investigation, focusing on the identity of the bomber and the explosives seized in neighboring states?
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