Monday evening was busy as usual near the Red Fort metro station in India's capital Delhi when the sound of a loud blast broke through the cacophony on the streets.
An explosion in a car killed at least eight people and injured more than 20. It was so powerful that several vehicles nearby almost melted, and people could hear the blast from kilometres away.
The police are still investigating what caused the blast but the fact that it happened in one of the most secure and busy areas of Delhi has shocked people.
On one side is Chandni Chowk - a busy trading and clothing hub that is busier than usual at this time of the year due to the peak wedding season.
And on the other side is the 17th Century Red Fort, which attracts thousands of tourists every day.
Sandwiched between the two is the road where the explosion took place. Within minutes, confusion and alarm spread from the scene to the rest of the city.
Mohamed Hafiz, a resident nearby, said his house shook and many ran out thinking it was an earthquake. What he saw was terrifying: people fleeing, cars ablaze, and the injured crying for help. There was blood everywhere, he recalled. Fear and panic swept the city as the news broke.
Local media reported that police declared a high alert across the area, with residents now questioning the safety they felt in the capital.
Among the missing was Mohammed Azghar, who is desperately searching for his brother. We haven't had any contact with him since the explosion, he lamented, as neighbors expressed their fears and concerns about the future.
The aftermath is a stark reminder of vulnerability in urban life, leaving many hopeful for swift answers and a return to normalcy.
An explosion in a car killed at least eight people and injured more than 20. It was so powerful that several vehicles nearby almost melted, and people could hear the blast from kilometres away.
The police are still investigating what caused the blast but the fact that it happened in one of the most secure and busy areas of Delhi has shocked people.
On one side is Chandni Chowk - a busy trading and clothing hub that is busier than usual at this time of the year due to the peak wedding season.
And on the other side is the 17th Century Red Fort, which attracts thousands of tourists every day.
Sandwiched between the two is the road where the explosion took place. Within minutes, confusion and alarm spread from the scene to the rest of the city.
Mohamed Hafiz, a resident nearby, said his house shook and many ran out thinking it was an earthquake. What he saw was terrifying: people fleeing, cars ablaze, and the injured crying for help. There was blood everywhere, he recalled. Fear and panic swept the city as the news broke.
Local media reported that police declared a high alert across the area, with residents now questioning the safety they felt in the capital.
Among the missing was Mohammed Azghar, who is desperately searching for his brother. We haven't had any contact with him since the explosion, he lamented, as neighbors expressed their fears and concerns about the future.
The aftermath is a stark reminder of vulnerability in urban life, leaving many hopeful for swift answers and a return to normalcy.
