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PM Modi Vows Justice After Deadly Delhi Car Blast Near Red Fort; Anti-Terror Law Invoked
Prime Minister Narendra Modi has vowed to bring all perpetrators of the deadly car explosion near Delhi’s Red Fort to justice. Police are probing the case under India’s anti-terror law, the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA), after at least eight people were killed and over 20 injured in the capital’s first major blast since 2011.
New Delhi, November 11:
Indian police are investigating Monday evening’s deadly car explosion near Delhi’s historic Red Fort under the country’s primary anti-terror law. Prime Minister Narendra Modi has pledged that all those responsible will be brought to justice.
At least eight people were killed and around 20 injured in the powerful blast that rocked the high-security capital—a city of more than 30 million—for the first time since 2011.
Speaking in Bhutan on Tuesday, where he arrived for a pre-scheduled visit, Modi said, “I have come to Bhutan with a heavy heart today. The horrific incident in Delhi last evening has deeply shocked everyone. Our agencies will uncover the entire conspiracy. The perpetrators will not be spared. Every person responsible will face justice.”
Anti-Terror Law Invoked
Deputy Commissioner of Police Raja Banthia confirmed that the case has been registered under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA), along with provisions of the Explosives Act and other criminal laws.
“The investigation is still at a preliminary stage, and it would be premature to comment further,” Banthia told reporters.
The UAPA is India’s main anti-terrorism law, used to investigate and prosecute acts that threaten the nation’s sovereignty and integrity.
Scene Sealed, Security Tightened
The explosion occurred just before 7 p.m. near a traffic signal in Old Delhi, close to a busy metro station and market area. The blast destroyed several nearby vehicles, scattering debris and leaving bodies strewn across the road.
Most shops around the site remained shut through the night as forensic teams examined the area, which has been sealed off with white barricades since the incident. Delhi Metro officials confirmed that the Red Fort station was closed as a precautionary measure.
Authorities are still determining the identities of those inside the car at the time of the explosion. Police said they are tracing the vehicle’s ownership and possible links to any terror groups.
Victims’ Families Await Answers
Relatives of the victims gathered outside Lok Nayak Hospital to identify their loved ones.
One distraught family member said, “We only know that my cousin was here. We don’t know whether he’s alive or how serious his injuries are.”
Defense Minister Rajnath Singh stated that all agencies are conducting a swift and thorough investigation and that findings will be made public soon.
Historic Symbol, Heightened Significance
The Red Fort, a 17th-century Mughal monument blending Persian and Indian architecture, is one of India’s most prominent landmarks and a symbol of independence. Each year, the Prime Minister addresses the nation from its ramparts on Independence Day.
Modi is currently in Bhutan to attend the 70th birthday celebrations of the kingdom’s fourth monarch, King Jigme Singye Wangchuck.
In April, Modi had cut short a foreign trip to Saudi Arabia after a terror attack in Jammu and Kashmir killed 26 Hindu pilgrims—an incident India blamed on Pakistan-backed Islamist militants, an allegation denied by Islamabad. That attack led to one of the most intense military escalations between the two nuclear-armed neighbors in decades, before a ceasefire was reached four days later.
