Car Explosion in Delhi Kills At Least 8,Heightens Security Across India
New Delhi – At least eight people were killed and several others injured in a car explosion near the Red Fort in Delhi on Monday,prompting a high alert across India,including in neighboring states and the financial hub of Mumbai. The blast occurred hours before President Donald Trump was scheduled to swear in Sergio Gor as the U.S. ambassador to India.
Authorities have closed the Red Fort until Thursday as a precaution, according to the archaeology agency. Police in Uttar Pradesh and Haryana, states bordering Delhi, have also been placed on high alert. The U.S. State Department issued a security alert advising U.S.citizens to avoid crowded areas, especially around the red Fort.
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi stated he had “reviewed the situation” with Home Minister Amit Shah and shared his condolences in a post on X.
The explosion has raised tensions in a region already sensitive to conflict with Pakistan. In April,a terrorist attack in the disputed Kashmir region,wich killed 26 people,nearly led to war between the two nuclear-armed nations. India responded with airstrikes on Pakistan, alleging Pakistan-backed militants were responsible for the attack, a claim Pakistan denied. Dozens were killed on both sides before a ceasefire was reached.
Adding to regional instability,Pakistan reported a deadly suicide bombing in Islamabad on Tuesday,resulting in at least 12 deaths and over two dozen injuries,according to Interior minister Mohsin Naqvi.
Hours before the Delhi blast, police in Kashmir announced the arrest of several individuals linked to terrorist groups and the seizure of over 6,300 pounds of explosive materials in a joint operation with police in Haryana and Uttar Pradesh. Authorities have not yet confirmed any connection between these arrests and the Delhi explosion.
While such incidents are rare in Delhi, the blast evoked memories of past attacks, including a 2011 briefcase bomb near the High Court that killed approximately 12 people, and a 2001 attack on Parliament that left more than a dozen dead.
