Amid speculation that the Delhi blast was a bomb blast, a Delhi official has virtually ruled out the possibility.
“There was an explosion in a moving car on the road. There is no crater at the site, so we cannot say it was a bomb blast. Also, no bullet or shrapnel injuries, which are most common in bomb blasts, have been reported so far. The Maruti Suzuki Eeco car, the source of the blast, had two to three passengers,” official teams told The Hindu and Delhi Police were completely devastated.
A powerful car blast near Gate 1 of Red Fort Metro Station on November 10 killed at least eight people and injured 24. Witnesses said the explosion was so powerful they thought “everyone was going to die”. Several vehicles caught fire and sustained significant damage, officials confirmed.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi spoke to Home Minister Amit Shah after the blast in Delhi, ANI reported citing government sources.
Amit Shah on the Delhi blast
Home Minister Amit Shah also spoke about the Delhi blast. “All nearby CCTV cameras will be checked for clues,” he said. Shah earlier met Delhi Police Commissioner Satish Golcha and a team of doctors at the Lok Nayak Jai Prakash Narayan (LNJP) Hospital.
“Preliminary reports indicate that some people have lost their lives. Within 10 minutes of receiving information about the blast, teams from Delhi Crime Branch and Delhi Special Branch reached the spot,” said Amit Shah.
“I have also spoken to the Delhi CP and the special branch in charge. Delhi CP and the special branch are present at the spot. We are looking into all possibilities and will conduct a thorough investigation considering all possibilities. All possibilities will be investigated immediately and the results will be presented to the public,” he added.
Ayodhya on high alert
Meanwhile, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath ordered the UP Police to remain on high alert. CM Yogi sought details of the incident from Director General of Police (DGP) Rajeev Krishna, as reported by PTI citing an official statement.
Quick Response Teams (QRTs), Anti-Terrorism Squads (ATS), Bomb Disposal Squads and Dog Squads remained on standby. Foot patrolling has been stepped up, said DGP Krishna.
In Ayodhya, Inspector General Praveen Kumar took to the streets to inspect vehicles. Varanasi is also on high alert, as is Lucknow.
