Monday evening was busy as usual near the Red Fort metro station in India's capital Delhi when the sound of a loud blast broke through the cacophony on the streets.
An explosion in a car killed at least eight people and injured more than 20. It was so powerful that several vehicles nearby almost melted, and people could hear the blast from kilometres away.
The police are still investigating what caused the blast but the fact that it happened in one of the most secure and busy areas of Delhi has shocked people.
On one side is Chandni Chowk - a busy trading and clothing hub that is busier than usual at this time of the year due to the peak wedding season. And on the other side is the 17th Century Red Fort which attracts thousands of tourists every day. Sandwiched between the two is the road where the explosion took place. Within minutes, confusion and alarm spread from the scene to the rest of the city.
Mohamed Hafiz, a local resident, described how his house shook, initially thinking it was an earthquake. He recounted a scene of terror with people running, cars on fire, and bodies on the street. As news broke, fear and panic swept through the city, prompting police to declare a high alert.
Assessing the aftermath, shops were closed, roads were deserted, and a long queue formed at the city border as police conducted searches. Many citizens expressed disbelief that such violence could occur in their city, which had seen relative peace for years.
Families, like that of Mohammed Azghar who was searching for his missing brother, highlighted the personal tragedies unfolding among the public. Azghar's brother, an electric rickshaw driver, hasn't been heard from since the explosion.
As the community and local authorities grapple with the implications of this violent act, hopes for swift answers and the restoration of safety are palpable among the shaken residents.
An explosion in a car killed at least eight people and injured more than 20. It was so powerful that several vehicles nearby almost melted, and people could hear the blast from kilometres away.
The police are still investigating what caused the blast but the fact that it happened in one of the most secure and busy areas of Delhi has shocked people.
On one side is Chandni Chowk - a busy trading and clothing hub that is busier than usual at this time of the year due to the peak wedding season. And on the other side is the 17th Century Red Fort which attracts thousands of tourists every day. Sandwiched between the two is the road where the explosion took place. Within minutes, confusion and alarm spread from the scene to the rest of the city.
Mohamed Hafiz, a local resident, described how his house shook, initially thinking it was an earthquake. He recounted a scene of terror with people running, cars on fire, and bodies on the street. As news broke, fear and panic swept through the city, prompting police to declare a high alert.
Assessing the aftermath, shops were closed, roads were deserted, and a long queue formed at the city border as police conducted searches. Many citizens expressed disbelief that such violence could occur in their city, which had seen relative peace for years.
Families, like that of Mohammed Azghar who was searching for his missing brother, highlighted the personal tragedies unfolding among the public. Azghar's brother, an electric rickshaw driver, hasn't been heard from since the explosion.
As the community and local authorities grapple with the implications of this violent act, hopes for swift answers and the restoration of safety are palpable among the shaken residents.
