New Delhi, November 10, 2025 – In a chilling assault on the nation's capital, a high-intensity explosion ripped through a Hyundai i20 car near Gate No. 1 of the iconic Red Fort Metro Station on Monday evening, claiming at least 10 lives and injuring over 24 others in a scene of utter carnage that evoked memories of India's darkest terror strikes.The blast, which occurred around 6:52 PM as the vehicle slowed at the Subhash Marg traffic signal in the bustling Chandni Chowk area, sent shockwaves through the crowded old quarters, engulfing nearby vehicles in flames and scattering debris across the historic landmark.
Eyewitnesses described a nightmare unfolding in seconds: "We heard a big sound. Our windows shook," one resident recounted, while an auto driver mere feet from the epicenter said the car "was about two feet away... it exploded." Another horrified local shopkeeper trembled as he recalled, "Felt we were all going to die," amid reports of body parts strewn on the road and a severed hand lying in the chaos.The force was so immense that street lights blacked out, windows shattered kilometers away at ITO, and no crater formed at the site – a peculiar detail fueling speculation about the explosive used.
Union Home Minister Amit Shah, arriving at the scorched site and later visiting Lok Nayak Hospital where the injured fought for life, declared a no-holds-barred probe:
"We are investigating from every angle... NSG, NIA, and forensic teams are on the ground, scrutinizing all CCTV footage." Shah confirmed the blast originated in the Haryana-registered i20, originally owned by a Gurugram resident named Salman who sold it over a year ago to Devender in Okhla – both now detained for questioning as authorities trace the ownership chain. Prime Minister Narendra Modi, briefed immediately by Shah, expressed profound grief: "Condolences to those who have lost their loved ones... Those affected are being assisted."
The timing has raised alarms – mere hours after a massive haul of 2,900 kg explosives and arms from a Kashmiri doctor's home in Faridabad, and on the eve of Bihar's crucial assembly polls. While officials stress no direct link yet, former DGP A K Jain warned of possible "splinter groups" from recent terror arrests in Gujarat, UP, and Haryana. A live bullet found at the scene and the absence of typical bomb craters have intensified scrutiny.
Panic rippled nationwide: High alerts in Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan, Maharashtra, Punjab, Bihar, Uttarakhand, Tamil Nadu, and beyond, with ramped-up checks at airports, metros, railways, and temples like Ayodhya's Ram Mandir.
Leaders across the spectrum mourned: President Droupadi Murmu offered condolences, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh called it "painful and disturbing," while opposition figures like Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi termed it "deeply saddening."