Union Home Minister Amit Shah today chaired a high-level security review meeting at his residence in New Delhi to assess the situation following the car blast near the Red Fort in the national capital last evening. The meeting was attended by the Union Home Secretary, Director of the Intelligence Bureau, Delhi Police Commissioner, and Director General of the National Investigation Agency (NIA). The Director General of Police of Jammu and Kashmir joined the meeting virtually.
Soon after the incident security has been tightened in all sensitive areas. Authorities are maintaining heightened vigil as investigations continue to determine the cause and circumstances of the blast and to ensure public safety and restore normalcy.
A blast in a car near Red Fort in Delhi yesterday killed eight people and injured several others. Mr Shah said, teams of the Delhi Police, NIA, NSG and forensics have started the probe and the exact details of the blast would be unearthed soon.
Delhi Police Commissioner Satish Golcha said that a slow-moving vehicle stopped at a red light in the area near Red Fort Metro Station and the explosion occurred in that vehicle.
Delhi Police has registered a case under various Sections of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA), Explosives Act, and Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi took stock of the situation in the wake of the blast and spoke to Home Minister Amit Shah. Mr Shah visited the site of the car explosion and met the injured at LNJP Hospital, promising a thorough investigation into the blast
Medical Superintendent of LNJP Hospital said that 15 people were brought to the hospital. He said, eight of them died before reaching the hospital, three are seriously injured and one is in stable condition.
The Helpline numbers are, Delhi Police Emergency: 112, Delhi Police Control Room: 011-22910010 or 011-22910011, LNJP Hospital 011-23233400 and Emergency 011-23239249, Delhi Fire Service: 101, Ambulance: 102 or 108 and AIIMS Trauma Center : 011-26594405.
Delhi Metro Rail Corporation has infromed that Lal Qila Metro Station will remain closed due to security reasons. It said that all other stations are functional as normal. The Red Fort will also remain shut for visitors till Thursday.
