Delhi hero cop was busy saving blast victims while panicked family made 150 calls: 'My wife and kids feared the worst'

Delhi blast

The massive explosion outside Delhi’s Red Fort on the evening of November 10 left the city shaken. Among them is Head Constable Than Singh, who has kept his blood-stained uniform folded beside him, the same uniform he wore that night.

Singh, who has served at the Red Fort Police Post for nearly 13 years, broke down as he scrolled through photos of the aftermath on his phone. “In my 15-year career, I have never seen such a bloodbath,” he was quoted by The Indian Express as saying.

The police post where he works is a group of five makeshift rooms, a reception area, small offices and a boardroom. Even today, several parts of the ceiling and walls show signs of fresh repair. “The ceiling was damaged due to the impact. Most rooms suffered cracks,” he said.

On the day of the blast, Singh was managing traffic near the Red Fort. Around 6.40 pm, he received a call from his wife, Deepika. She was fasting and wanted him to show her the deity at the nearby Gauri Shankar Mandir so she could break her fast. Singh reached the temple by 6.50 pm and made a video call.

“Within a minute of showing her the idol, I heard a huge explosion,” he recalled. As per Singh, he reached the blast site at 6.54 pm. Vehicles were on fire, and fuel tanks were bursting. “The first person I pulled out of the pile was a woman, who was crying for help. I pulled her out from the rubble, carried her to an e-rickshaw, and asked the driver to get her to Lok Nayak Hospital,” he recounted.

Within minutes, fire tenders, ambulances, and senior officers reached the spot. Singh joined forces with Constable Ajay, health workers and other personnel to rescue the injured. They cordoned off Netaji Subhash Marg to stop traffic and create space for emergency vehicles.

“I then pulled out a man whose hands and legs were burnt. Then another guy, who was stuck between the bonnet and the windshield of the car… he was taken to Lok Nayak Hospital,” Singh added.

The Red Fort Metro station’s Gates 1 and 4 were sealed, and Joint Commissioner of Police (Central) Madhur Verma supervised the cordoning of the area. DCP (North) Raja Banthia, who flew back to Delhi urgently, said the crime team secured the entire area within minutes.

Singh did not check his phone until 11.30 pm and later found nearly 150 missed calls. His wife and children, who had heard the blast during the call, feared the worst. “My children were sobbing because they couldn’t reach me. I called them back and told them I was safe. But I didn’t go home for the next two days,” The Indian Express quoted him as saying.