Delhi Blast Hours After 2,900 kg Explosives Recovered in Faridabad – Is There a Link?

Eight people were killed and 24 others injured when a car exploded near Gate No. 1 of the Lal Qila metro station on Monday evening. The powerful blast occurred just outside Delhi's Red Fort, one of the most crowded and sensitive zones in the national capital.

The explosion triggered massive flames and caused several nearby vehicles to catch fire. Witnesses described scenes of chaos, with wrecked cars and human remains scattered across the road.

Delhi Police Commissioner Satish Golcha stated, "Today at 6.52 pm a slow-moving vehicle stopped at the red light. An explosion happened in that vehicle and, due to the explosion, nearby vehicles were also damaged. Some people have died and some have been injured. The situation is being monitored. Home Minister (Amit Shah) called us.. information is being shared with him..."

Home Minister Amit Shah later briefed Prime Minister Narendra Modi about the situation, while top officials reviewed the security status across the city.

Capital on High Alert, Borders Sealed

Following the blast, security agencies across Delhi were placed on high alert. Patrolling was intensified around key government buildings, markets, metro stations, and monuments. Security has also been strengthened along the Indo-Nepal border, where Border Security Force and intelligence teams are closely monitoring movement across checkpoints.

Authorities said the immediate focus was on providing medical care to the injured and securing the blast site. Nearly two dozen ambulances were rushed to the area, and forensic and technical teams have begun collecting evidence to determine the nature of the explosion.

Massive Explosives Seized in Faridabad Before Delhi Blast

Just hours before the Delhi explosion, Jammu and Kashmir Police had recovered nearly 3,000 kilograms of explosives from two residential buildings in Haryana's Faridabad. The seized materials included 350 kilograms of ammonium nitrate, a fertilizer that can be used to make powerful bombs.

The seizure followed the arrest of a J&K-based doctor, Adil Rather, in Uttar Pradesh's Saharanpur. He was detained after CCTV footage showed him pasting posters in support of the Pakistan-based terror outfit Jaish-e-Mohammed in Srinagar.

Terror Module Involving Medical Professionals

Investigations led authorities to another doctor, Muzammil Shakeel, associated with Al-Falah Hospital in Faridabad. Although hospital records listed him as living on campus, raids on two off-campus homes linked to him revealed 12 suitcases packed with explosives, detonators, and timers.

A woman colleague of Shakeel's was also arrested after police discovered an assault rifle and ammunition in her Maruti Suzuki Swift Dzire. Another rifle and additional ammunition were later found in a staff locker at the Government Medical College in Anantnag, where Rather worked until last year.

Earlier, police said they had dismantled an inter-state and transnational terror network connected to Jaish-e-Mohammed and Ansar Ghazwat-ul-Hind, an al-Qaeda affiliate. Along with the two doctors and the woman suspect, five other individuals have been arrested so far.

Possible Connection Under Investigation

Investigators are now examining whether there is a link between the Faridabad explosives seizure and the Red Fort car blast. The close timing of the two incidents has raised suspicions of a coordinated plot targeting the capital.

While officials have not confirmed any direct connection yet, intelligence agencies are exploring whether the recovered explosives were intended for use in Delhi or other northern regions. With the national capital on edge, authorities have vowed to uncover the full conspiracy behind the deadly explosion.