Security tightened at government buildings, ministries in Delhi after blast near Red Fort

Additional personnel have been stationed at airports, railway stations, and major bus terminals.

The national capital has been put on high alert following the blast near the Red Fort on November 10 that killed eight people and injured several others.

Security has been tightened across all government buildings, including Kartavya Bhawan, as well as at airports, railway stations and bus terminals, Moneycontrol has learnt from sources. Security has also been strengthened around the Parliament complex and other central ministries.

Home Minister Amit Shah is slated to chair a high-level security review meeting on November 11, which will be attended by Home Secretary Govind Mohan, the Director of Intelligence Bureau, Director General of the National Investigation Agency (NIA), Delhi Police Commissioner and other senior officials. Jammu and Kashmir’s Director General of Police will join the meeting virtually.

The blast near Delhi’s Red Fort took place in a Hyundai i20 car near Subhash Marg, around 7 pm on November 10, and the impact was so severe that it damaged several nearby vehicles and injured pedestrians.

Security Agencies on Alert

Following the blast, the Rapid Action Force (RAF) was deployed near the Red Fort, and the Delhi Police conducted night-long searches in hotels and guesthouses across the area. Several agencies, including the Delhi Police, FSL and NIA are jointly investigating the incident.

The Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) has said on its social media handle that the Lal Qila Metro Station has been closed due to security reasons, while “all other stations are functional as normal.”

Read More: Sold, resold, never registered: Inside the murky resale trail of the Hyundai i20 that exploded near Red Fort

All Angles Being Probed

The Home Ministry has launched a investigation and said it is keeping all possible angles open.

Teams from the Delhi Police Special Cell, Crime Branch, NIA, Special Protection Group (SPG) and Forensic Science Laboratory (FSL) had reached the spot immediately after the incident. Minister Amit Shah also briefed Prime Minister Modi after taking preliminary information following the incident.

Until the samples recovered from the blast site are analysed by FSL and NSG, it is difficult to say anything, the Home Minister had said.

Read More: Red Fort’s weekly closure on Monday spared Delhi from a larger tragedy

Role of FSL and NSG

The Forensic Science Laboratory (FSL) plays a crucial role in examining physical evidence collected from the blast site, and analysing debris, chemical residues, and metal fragments to determine the nature and composition of the explosive used. The National Security Guard (NSG), on the other hand, specialises in counter-terrorism operations and post-blast analysis. Its bomb disposal and explosive detection teams assist in identifying the type of device, trigger mechanism, and the likely intent behind the explosion. Together, the findings from FSL and NSG help agencies establish whether the incident was accidental, criminal, or terror related.