Bengaluru police declare high alert after Red Fort blast

Bengaluru city police declared a high alert in the city following the blast near the Red Fort in Delhi Monday evening, which killed at least nine people and injured several others.

Soon after the Red Fort blast, the Bengaluru police conducted security checks in many public places, including metro stations, bus stands, and railway stations. They also checked vehicles during the night.
“Security has been intensified at all major public places and critical infrastructure locations, including railway stations, bus terminals, the airport, metro stations, shopping malls, business establishments, and other vital institutions. Police personnel have been directed to maintain strict surveillance and ensure round-the-clock monitoring,” said Seemant Kumar Singh, Commissioner, Bengaluru City police.

Singh said to enhance security preparedness, barricades have been installed across key roads in the city, and comprehensive vehicle checks are being conducted. Additional teams have been deployed to identify and verify any suspicious individuals or activities, he added.

The Bengaluru police also urged the public to report any unusual and suspicious activity.

While there was no official confirmation on what caused the blast, Union Home Minister of India Amit Shah, who visited the blast site, said investigating agencies were probing “all angles,” and not ruling out any possibility.

Delhi Police Commissioner Satish Golcha told reporters the explosion took place at 6.52 pm after a slow-moving vehicle stopped at the traffic signal near Gate No 1 of Red Fort Metro Station. According to sources, six cars, four motorcycles, and three e-rickshaws caught fire after the blast.

The police later tracked the car to a Gurgaon resident, who said, during questioning, that he had sold it to someone else. The Hyundai i20 is then learnt to have changed hands a couple of times, and the current owner has been identified as a resident of Pulwama in Jammu and Kashmir.

According to a preliminary investigation, the car was parked near the Red Fort area for over three hours before it was driven out.