Car in Delhi Blast Parked Near Site for 3 Hours, CCTV Footage Shows

Delhi, India – A white Hyundai i20, the vehicle involved in Monday evening's deadly explosion near Delhi's Red Fort, was parked in a nearby parking lot for approximately three hours before the incident. The high-intensity blast, which occurred at approximately 6:52 PM near the Red Fort Metro station, resulted in at least eight fatalities and left 24 others injured.

CCTV footage has emerged showing the car entering a parking area adjacent to the Red Fort around 3:19 PM and leaving at 6:48 PM. According to police sources, the parking lot was near the Sunehri Masjid, in close proximity to the Red Fort. Moments after the car departed the parking area, an explosion occurred near the Gauri Shankar and Jain temples. The vehicle was seen moving slowly towards a traffic light when the explosion took place.

The Delhi Police, along with the National Investigation Agency (NIA) and the National Security Guard (NSG), are conducting a thorough investigation. Forensic teams and bomb disposal experts are examining the remnants of the vehicle to determine the cause of the explosion. Authorities have cordoned off the area.

According to Delhi Police Commissioner Satish Golcha, the car was not parked at the time of the explosion, but rather stopped at a red light near Gate 1 of the Red Fort metro station. Commissioner Golcha also confirmed that there were occupants inside the car when the explosion occurred. Union Home Minister Amit Shah confirmed that the exploded car was a Hyundai i20.

The explosion triggered a fire that damaged multiple nearby vehicles, including six cars, two e-rickshaws, and one auto-rickshaw. The sound of the explosion was heard from hundreds of meters away, and the windowpanes of nearby buildings shattered.

Preliminary investigations suggest the use of Ammonium Nitrate Fuel Oil (ANFO) in the explosion.

The vehicle, bearing a Haryana number plate, had been previously ticketed for illegal parking in Faridabad on September 20, 2025. Investigators are looking into the possibility that the car may have changed hands multiple times through questionable deals, with suspicions of fraudulent documents.

Delhi Police have detained Salman, the registered owner of the car, who stated that he had sold the vehicle some time ago. Investigations have also revealed a potential link to Pulwama, with reports indicating the car was later sold to Tariq, a resident of the Kashmir town.

The incident occurred hours after a large cache of explosive-making materials was recovered from a residence in Faridabad linked to a Kashmiri academic. The explosives allegedly belonged to two doctors from Pulwama and Qazigund, believed to be part of an "interstate and transnational terror module" connected to Jaish-e-Mohammad and Ansar Ghazwatul Hind.

Following the explosion, security has been heightened in Delhi, as well as in nearby states such as Uttar Pradesh and Maharashtra.