Modi says those behind New Delhi car explosion ‘will not be spared’

Indian authorities have launched an investigation into yesterday's car explosion in New Delhi under a counterterrorism law, a senior police official confirmed on Tuesday.

The blast, which occurred Monday evening near the iconic Red Fort, has left the capital on edge after at least eight people were initially reported dead and 20 injured.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi, speaking during an official visit to Bhutan, said he arrived “with a very heavy heart” as the country grappled with the aftermath of the tragedy. He later told a public gathering that the incident had “deeply disturbed everyone,” and vowed that investigative agencies would pursue those responsible.

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Authorities have been cautious in assigning blame while forensic teams analyse evidence collected from the scene. Home Minister Amit Shah said Monday night that investigators were examining multiple possibilities but stressed that it was too early to determine the exact cause of the blast.

New Delhi’s deputy chief fire officer, A.K. Malik, initially confirmed eight fatalities, though local media, citing unnamed sources, reported on Tuesday that the toll had risen to 12. Officials have yet to verify that figure.

If the explosion is ultimately identified as a deliberate attack, it would be the most serious security breach since April 22, when 26 civilians — most of them Hindu pilgrims — were killed at the Pahalgam tourist site in India-occupied Kashmir.