The investigation into the high-intensity blast near the Red Fort witnessed a major development on Tuesday as Union Home Minister Amit Shah visited the site to review the ongoing probe.
Meanwhile, the Delhi Police have traced the registration of the exploded car to Faridabad in Haryana, intensifying the manhunt. The blast has so far claimed ten lives and left 24 others injured.
According to sources in the investigating agencies, initial findings reveal that the white Hyundai i20 car in which the explosion occurred is registered in the name of an individual from Faridabad.
Earlier, a partial registration number — HR 26 7674 — had confirmed that the vehicle was registered in Haryana. The specific Faridabad connection has now narrowed the focus of the investigation.
Following this crucial lead, a special team of the Delhi Police has left for Haryana and is coordinating with the Faridabad Police to locate and apprehend the car’s registered owner, Nadeem Khan.
The Delhi Police’s Special Cell and Crime Branch are conducting simultaneous raids at multiple locations across the National Capital Region (NCR).
A multi-pronged investigation is underway, with agencies meticulously analysing CCTV footage from all available cameras and examining mobile dump data from the area at the time of the blast. Officials are also recording statements from eyewitnesses.
The explosion occurred on Monday evening around 6:52 pm in a slow-moving car that had stopped at a red light near Gate No. 1 of the Red Fort Metro Station.
Delhi Police Commissioner Satish Golcha said, “A slow-moving vehicle stopped at the red light. An explosion occurred in that vehicle, and due to the blast, nearby vehicles were also damaged.”
The high-intensity explosion set multiple vehicles on fire and shattered nearby windowpanes, triggering widespread panic in the area.
According to Dr BL Chaudhary, Medical Superintendent of Lok Nayak Jai Prakash (LNJP) Hospital, eight victims were declared dead on arrival, while six of the injured remain in critical condition.
Teams from the National Investigation Agency (NIA) and the Forensic Science Laboratory (FSL) are assisting the Delhi Police in the probe. A high alert remains in force across the national capital and neighbouring states.