A car explosion in the heart of the Indian capital on Monday killed at least eight people.
The explosion occurred near New Delhi’s landmark Red Fort.
“Today at around 6:52pm (1322 GMT), a slow-moving vehicle stopped at a red light – an explosion happened in that vehicle, and due to the explosion, nearby vehicles were also damaged,” New Delhi Police Commissioner Satish Golcha told reporters.
“Some people have died, and some have been injured.”
The blast occurred near a Metro station and in an area crowded with street vendors.
AFP reporters witnessed injured arriving at hospital after the blast. Police have not given details on the cause, but said that forensic and anti-terrorism agencies were at the site.
If it was terrorism there will be concerns if it is linked to Pakistan with the two nations bombing one another after a terror attack in India just months ago.
The blaze engulfed at least six cars as well as several motorised rickshaw taxis.
The nearby hospital building was cordoned off amid a heavy police deployment as officers moved through the corridors.
Outside, anxious relatives gathered after hearing that their loved ones had been brought in.
Musarrat Ansari said her brother was injured after a burning car hit the motorbike he was riding.
“He called me and said his leg was hurt — he couldn’t walk,” she told AFP. The Red Fort, which was completed under Moghul rule in 1648 and is located in the old quarters of Delhi, is one of India’s most well-known landmarks.
Indian prime ministers address the nation from its ramparts on Independence Day, and it features on the largest banknote.
