Delhi Red Fort blast kills 13: What happened as police invoke ‘terror’ law?

Indian authorities have vowed to “hunt down” the perpetrators of the worst attack on the country’s capital in more than a decade, after a car explosion in Delhi on Monday killed at least 13 people and wounded more than 20.

Security forces have been placed on high alert across major states and cities as authorities have launched an investigation into the cause of the blast on Monday night.
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi has said those responsible for the blast will “not be spared”.

What happened in Delhi?
At 6:52pm (13:52 GMT), a powerful, high-intensity blast tore through a crowded neighbourhood during the evening rush hour.

According to the Delhi police, the explosion originated in a moving Hyundai i20 car.

“A slow-moving vehicle stopped at a red light. An explosion happened in that vehicle, and due to the explosion, nearby vehicles were also damaged,” Delhi Police Commissioner Satish Golcha told reporters.

Images from the scene show shattered windows, mangled vehicles, and fire and smoke rising from burning cars.

Police later detained the original owner of the car, identified as Mohammad Salman, in the adjoining city of Gurugram in Haryana state. He bought the vehicle in 2013. Investigators said Salman had subsequently sold the vehicle to another man in New Delhi, who in turn sold the car recently. The person Salman sold the car to has also been arrested. However, the car was still registered in Salman’s name and carried a Haryana number plate, according to local media reports.
Delhi police have invoked India’s primary “counterterrorism” law, registering a case under Sections 16 and 18 of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, or UAPA, along with provisions of the Explosives Act.

This means that even though officials have yet to formally confirm the cause of the blast or name suspects, they appear to be treating the explosion as a potential act of “terrorism”, not just a criminal or accidental blast.Where did the blast happen?
The explosion occurred in a densely populated part of Old Delhi near the Red Fort Metro Station.

The blast took place at a traffic signal close to the entrance of the metro station serving the Red Fort, locally known as Lal Qila, one of the city’s most renowned Mughal-era monuments.

The site lies at a busy intersection linking the Red Fort with the bustling Chandni Chowk Market, where the impact of the explosion was felt.