Delhi Red Fort blast: Punjab, Haryana, Himachal tighten security after deadly explosion

Delhi blast

A wave of high security alerts swept across Punjab, Haryana and Himachal Pradesh on Monday evening, as regional authorities moved swiftly to bolster defences in the aftermath of a devastating explosion near Delhi’s Red Fort that left at least nine people dead and scores injured.

The blast, which occurred in a densely populated area on a busy evening, prompted immediate and coordinated security responses in the northern states bordering the national capital. According to a report in The Indian Express, a Punjab police department spokesperson declared a “red alert” across all districts in the state.

“Commissioners of police and Senior Superintendents of Police have been asked to remain alert,” the spokesperson stated, confirming that police forces have been deployed at sensitive locations and that vehicle and suspicious-person checks have been intensified.

In neighbouring Haryana, Director General of Police OP Singh announced a state-wide high alert. In a post on the social media platform X, the DGP urged the public to remain calm but vigilant. “If any suspicious person or unclaimed object is seen, inform ‘112’,” he wrote, detailing that police were conducting checks at state borders, on public transport and in parking areas, hotels and dharamshalas.

Echoing this stance, the Himachal Pradesh Police issued a public advisory with several security guidelines. The force appealed to citizens not to panic or spread unverified rumours and to remain particularly alert in crowded areas. “There is no need to panic as the state police has strengthened surveillance and security arrangements in all districts, particularly in border and sensitive areas,” the advisory stated, as reported by The Indian Express.

The tragic incident drew swift and universal condemnation from political leaders across party lines.

Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann, in a post on X, described the news as “tragic” and called for a “high-level investigation” into the incident in the nation’s capital. “The perpetrators should be given the harshest possible punishment,” he asserted, offering prayers for the deceased and a speedy recovery for the injured.

His Haryana counterpart, Nayab Singh Saini, termed the blast “painful and worrisome,” while former Haryana chief minister and Leader of Opposition, Bhupinder Singh Hooda, called the event “heart-wrenching.” Hooda demanded that the government ensure a “high-level thorough investigation” and that the “strictest possible action” be taken against the perpetrators.

The sentiment was shared by Punjab Congress chief Amrinder Singh Raja Warring, who dubbed the incident “sad and shocking” and called for a top-priority police probe. “Safety of our people is precious and paramount,” he stated on X.

Shiromani Akali Dal president Sukhbir Singh Badal expressed being “deeply shocked” by the “heinous act,” demanding that the culprits be “swiftly brought to justice -- no mercy for those plotting terror.” Congress leader Partap Singh Bajwa and Akali MP Harsimrat Kaur Badal also extended their heartfelt condolences to the bereaved families, with Bajwa noting that the loss of innocent lives had left “the entire nation grief-stricken.”