A car exploded near the Red Fort in Delhi on Monday evening, killing eight people and injuring 20 at a traffic signal near a metro station.
The blast occurred in the old part of Delhi, an area frequented by thousands of tourists visiting monuments and markets selling food, cloth and spices.
The explosion took place across from the Red Fort, a 17th century monument surrounded by structures built during Mughal rule in Persian and Indian architectural styles.
Eight dead after car blast near Delhi’s Red Fort monument
Police reported that the car exploded with impact that damaged vehicles nearby. There was no information on the occupants of the car, who were presumed to have been killed in the blast.
Eight people died in the explosion, with another 20 sustaining injuries.
Delhi police are investigating the incident under a law used to fight “terrorism,” according to reports. Forensic teams were examining evidence, though there were no indications as to how the blast took place.
Federal Home Minister Amit Shah said on Monday that “all angles” were being investigated. Officials confirmed that investigations were ongoing.
Authorities tightened security in several parts of the country following the explosion. Train stations, Mumbai and the state of Uttar Pradesh were placed on alert.
Bus stations and markets in Delhi have been the target of blasts in the 1980s and 1990s. Blasts also occurred during the 2000s. Authorities blamed these explosions on Islamist militants or Sikh separatists.
In 2011, a bomb placed in a briefcase outside the Delhi High Court killed 12 people and injured dozens. The Monday explosion marks an occurrence in recent years in the national capital.
