India is now on a high alert after a fatal blast that occurred close to the Red Fort Metro Station in Delhi on Monday evening. The blast, which happened near the Red Fort Metro Station’s Gate No. 1, killed at least 10 people and injured 24 others, raising emergency services response and alerting national security checks.
The Delhi Police, National Security Guard (NSG), and forensic teams quickly cordoned off the area surrounding the Red Fort and Chandni Chowk. The powerful blast set fire to piles of cars, shattered windows on both sides of the street, and caught the attention of one of the most congested streets in Old Delhi.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi called for an emergency review following the bomb blast. Home Minister Amit Shah confirmed that all agencies tasked with investigations, including the National Investigation Agency (NIA), were looking into all possible angles of the incident. “The cause of the blast has not been found yet,” Shah was quoted as saying. “We are looking into all angles of the incident, all leads, including possible terror.”
Delhi, Mumbai, and Other Key Metro Cities Put on High Alert
The aftershock following the explosion at the Red Fort in Delhi has been felt across the country, with Delhi immediately placed on a maximum alert level with all security increased to maintain security in sensitive areas, including government buildings, metro/subway stations, and airports.
In Mumbai, police and the anti-terror unit are now present at all key railway stations, ports, or other areas of public significance, particularly around the Gateway of India, Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus [CSMT], and Bandra-Worli Sea Link. There has also been an expansion of random vehicle checks, particularly around tourist locations and markets.
Kolkata, Bihar, Madhya Pradesh, Hyderabad, and Dehra Dun are also under high alert. In Hyderabad, this includes an increased number of forces at core intersections and markets, as well as checks in hotels, lodges, and airports, and public transport terminals.
CISF, Metro, and Airports Under Close Monitoring
The Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) has heightened security at all facilities in the Delhi area, including the Delhi Metro, Red Fort, Indira Gandhi International (IGI) Airport, as well as major infrastructure points.
CISF personnel armed with weaponry are walking the grounds continuously as increased frisking at entry points and checks of luggage have been imposed, according to a senior Delhi Police official. “Sensitive areas are continually watched with our smart surveillance, drones, and CCTV network.”
As fire tenders extinguished the flames caused by the explosion, the Delhi Fire Services had approximately seven fire tenders. Forensic teams have continued to examine the blasting site in order to report the type of explosive utilized. The NIA has also explored whether the event had any connection to the interstate terror module discovered earlier in the day, where more than 2,900 kilograms of suspected ammonium nitrate were seized at multiple locations.
Haryana and Uttar Pradesh Increased Vigilance
The neighboring states took swift action on the central alert. The Haryana government issued instructions to all districts, asking as much as possible for all police forces to enhance vigilance in the border areas with Delhi. Officials were also instructed to enhance vigilance in crowded public areas, temples and other worship places, and tourist attractions.https://www.firstpost.com/india/high-alert-in-delhi-maharashtra-up-and-other-states-after-red-fort-blast-kills-8-injures-24-13949511.html
In neighboring Uttar Pradesh, the Director General of Police was directed by Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath to increase vigilance checks statewide in all cities. According to ADG Law and Order, Amitabh Yash, the DGP, has ordered additional patrols in sensitive areas, especially in districts bordering Delhi.
The UP police also established barricades and increased checks on major highways, and conducted expanded checks of vehicles and individuals in Noida, Ghaziabad, Lucknow, and Varanasi. All district police units were placed on standby, and orders were given to utilize smart city control rooms, which would be activated, to keep track of public areas through live broadcasting.
In the borders along Delhi-Noida, barricades and additional police personnel were deployed to enhance security. Police were urged on patrol to identify individuals and vehicles that looked suspicious or had crossed the border from other states
Hyderabad’s Commissioner of Police, Sandeep Shandilya, has confirmed that the police are now in “maximum deployment mode”. They have stepped up patrols in Jubilee Hills, Begumpet, and Hitech City, with anti-sabotage teams conducting searches in crowded areas and hotels.
Similarly, as a precautionary measure, police in Dehradun and Madhya Pradesh (MP) have increased night patrolling, and police in Kolkata have deployed Quick Response Team members (QRTs) in major metro stations and marketplaces.
The Country Watches On as Investigators Intensify
The Red Fort blast, one of the most serious attacks in years, has raised ongoing public concerns regarding national security and overall intelligence coordination. Investigators are reviewing CCTV footage while also investigating samples they retrieved from the blast site. The probe is led jointly by the NIA, the Special Cell of the Delhi police, and the bomb disposal squad of the NSG.
As Delhi and several other states are also on high alert, officials have asked citizens to be vigilant and report any suspicious activity. As it remains a delicate situation while the investigation continues, India will remain on guard, hoping to prevent further tragedy as it strives to provide justice for the victims of the Red Fort blast.
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