NEW DELHI: A deafening explosion, mangled car parts hurled into the air, and bodies strewn across the road — eyewitnesses near the Red Fort Metro Station on Monday evening described moments of sheer panic and disbelief after a massive blast ripped through the area.
The explosion’s impact was so strong that windows at Gate No. 1 of the metro station, located across the road, were shattered. Within seconds, the air filled with smoke, screams and flying debris, leaving the area — one of Old Delhi’s busiest — in complete chaos.
“I was about 300 metres away, behind Lala Lajpat Rai Market, when I heard it,” said Vinod Kumar (40), a coolie at Bhagirath Palace. “I’ve never heard such a loud blast in my life. I fell three times from the shockwave. It felt like we were all going to die.”
Across the street, slippers, bags and broken glass littered the road — left behind by hundreds who fled in panic, abandoning vehicles mid-way. Drivers near Gate No. 4 jumped out of their cars, fearing another explosion.
Among the crowd, Jamna (50) stood sobbing near the barricades, frantically searching for her son. “He sells flowers in the nearby market… I can’t find him,” she said, trembling as police tried to calm her.
Officers quickly cordoned off the area, setting up barricades as shopkeepers, still in shock, searched for missing relatives or damaged vehicles.
Akshay (41), who runs an electronics store barely 200 metres away, said the explosion felt far stronger than a fuel or gas leak.
“No one knew what had happened. The ground shook. People said it was a CNG blast, but it felt different — like something much bigger,” he said.
Amid the panic, a few stepped forward to help. Chander Prakash and his friend Abhijeet Singh were near a temple when they heard two successive blasts.
“Fireballs were shooting up, people were screaming, debris was raining down,” Prakash recalled. “We rushed to pull the injured out and helped carry them to ambulances.”
Jai (49), who owns a watch shop and was travelling from Lala Lajpat Rai Market towards Kashmere Gate, narrowly escaped.
“I was just 10 metres from the spot. I’d parked my scooty and taken an e-rickshaw. Within a minute, there was a loud explosion — my ears went numb, and car parts and body pieces flew past,” he said, visibly shaken.
Maujib (24), who was waiting at a nearby signal, described a stampede-like rush. “There was a massive crowd, and the moment the blast happened, everyone just ran — nobody knew where.”
Hours later, the bustling Red Fort stretch stood eerily silent — its lanes lined with police vehicles, flashing blue lights, and the smell of burnt metal lingering in the air.
