Red Fort blast: Parties in Delhi condole loss of lives, injuries; seek thorough probe

New Delhi, Nov 10 (PTI) Leaders across party lines expressed grief over the loss of lives in the blast that took place near Red Fort on Monday, killing eight people and injuring many, and demanded a thorough probe into the horrific incident.

A high-intensity explosion ripped through a slow-moving car at a traffic signal near the Red Fort metro station in the Chandni Chowk area in the evening, killing at least eight people, injuring 24 and gutting several vehicles, officials said.

Former Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal expressed grief over the loss of lives in the explosion and demanded that police and the government conduct a thorough probe to find out whether any larger conspiracy was involved in it.

The AAP national convener in a statement said that the news of the explosion was "extremely worrisome" and added that no negligence can be tolerated in the security of Delhi.

"It is being reported that some people have lost their lives in the incident, which is deeply tragic. The police and government must immediately investigate how this blast occurred and whether there is a larger conspiracy behind it," Kejriwal said.

Delhi BJP president Virendra Sachdeva, in a social media post, termed the incident as "horrific" and "extremely tragic".

"My heartfelt condolences to the departed souls and deep sympathy to their families. I pray for the swift recovery of the injured. We all stand with the affected families during this difficult time," he said.

Sachdeva said that the administration is ensuring that all the injured receive the necessary medical assistance immediately.

Senior AAP leader and former Delhi chief minister Atishi said a thorough investigation must be conducted to bring out the truth behind the explosion and punish the culprits.

The Chandni Chowk MLA from AAP, Punardeep Sawhney, condemned the incident.

"Reports indicate that several people have been injured and some have lost their lives in this heartbreaking incident. I urge both the central and Delhi governments to conduct a serious and comprehensive investigation into the matter," he said.

Delhi Congress president Devender Yadav said the deaths and injuries due to the explosion were "extremely heart-breaking" and extended his condolences to the affected families. PTI VIT VIT KSS KSS