Explosion near Delhi’s Red Fort kills eight and sparks panic in crowded market

India’s Home Secretary Amit Shah called for a detailed investigation to be carried out, saying the government is closely monitoring the situation, as ITV News’ Ellie Pitt reports

Words by Sanjay Jha in Delhi

An explosion in one of Delhi’s busiest market areas on Monday evening killed at least eight people and injured several others just a few hundred meters from the city’s historic Red Fort.

The blast occurred outside the crowded Lajpat Rai Market, a bustling commercial hub in Old Delhi known for its rows of electronic shops and heavy foot traffic.

The area, popular with both locals and tourists, falls in the shadow of the Red Fort — one of India’s most recognisable landmarks and a Unesco World Heritage site which draws thousands of visitors every day.

The cause of the blast has not been determined. Indian police say they are investigating the explosion under an anti-terrorism law.

Delhi’s Red Fort is one of India’s most visited landmarks. / Credit: iStock

Prime Minister Narendra Modi, on a scheduled visit to Bhutan on Tuesday, said investigators would “get to the bottom of this conspiracy.

“The conspirators won’t be spared, and all those responsible will be brought to justice.”

Eyewitnesses spoke of scenes of panic and confusion, with flames and smoke engulfing the street in the immediate aftermath of the explosion.

In video footage seen by ITV News, people can be seen screaming and running in every direction as a fire burns near a damaged vehicle. A body is shown lying motionless on the ground as police and bystanders try to help the injured.

“There are so many people here… a bomb blast has happened,” a distraught man is heard saying in the video, his voice trembling.

Emergency services rushed to the scene, struggling against the traffic in the area. The firefighters extinguished the fire while the rescuers rushed victims to nearby hospitals. Bomb disposal teams and forensic experts say they are investigating whether the blast was caused by an improvised explosive device, or a gas cylinder explosion.

At least eight people have been killed, according to authorities, while over a dozen others are being treated at Lok Nayak Hospital, with several in a critical condition. Delhi Police have sealed off the market and adjoining roads, keeping the area under heavy security.

An official inspects shattered window panes inside a metro station near the site of a car explosion near the historic Red Fort in New Delhi. / Credit: AP

India’s Home Secretary Amit Shah called for a detailed investigation to be carried out, saying the government is closely monitoring the situation.

Delhi and the surrounding states have been put on high alert, with security tightened at metro stations, transport hubs, and major public venues.

Although the Red Fort itself did not suffer any damage, its proximity to the site of the blast has raised alarm.

The 17th-century monument, built by Mughal emperor Shah Jahan, is where India’s Independence Day address is held every year — a potent national symbol of freedom and unity. Tonight, its familiar red sandstone walls glowed faintly through the haze of smoke and flashing emergency lights.

Investigations are ongoing into who or what triggered the blast that shook one of the capital’s most crowded markets. Authorities say the explosion was believed to have originated from a Hyundai i20 car that had stopped at a traffic signal.

Police were trying to trace the car’s owner. There was no immediate information about the driver, who is believed to have been killed in the explosion.

Delhi and the surrounding states have been put on high alert, with security tightened at metro stations, transport hubs, and major public venues.

Although the Red Fort itself did not suffer any damage, its proximity to the site of the blast has raised alarm.

Investigations are ongoing into who or what triggered the blast that shook one of the capital’s most crowded markets.