Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi has vowed that no one involved in the deadly car explosion in Delhi will be spared. Modi issued the warning on Tuesday (11 November) upon arriving in Bhutan’s capital Thimphu for a scheduled visit. Earlier, a senior police official confirmed that the incident is being investigated under India’s anti-terror laws, according to a Reuters report.
Modi is currently in Thimphu to attend celebrations marking the 70th birthday of Bhutan’s fourth king, Jigme Singye Wangchuck.
Speaking at an event there, Modi said, “Last night’s horrific incident in Delhi has shaken the entire nation. Our agencies will reach the root of the conspiracy. No one involved in this attack will be spared.”
Meanwhile, the death toll from the massive car explosion in Delhi has risen to 13, with at least 20 others injured. The blast occurred on Monday evening near the historic Red Fort—making it the deadliest explosion in the heavily guarded city of more than 30 million people since 2011.
Deputy Commissioner of Delhi Police Raja Banthia said the explosion is being investigated under the country’s anti-terror law, the Explosives Act, and other criminal statutes.
He added, “The investigation is at a preliminary stage. At this moment, it would be too early to comment.”
The car exploded shortly after stopping at a traffic light in a busy area of Old Delhi, near the Red Fort, around 7 p.m. Several nearby vehicles were damaged. Many shops in the vicinity, which closed immediately after the blast, remained shut until early Tuesday.
Authorities sealed off the entire explosion site with white cloth barriers late Monday night.
Delhi Metro officials announced that Red Fort station has been closed temporarily for security reasons.
India’s Defence Minister Rajnath Singh said, “A swift and comprehensive investigation is underway. The findings will be made public soon.”
The Red Fort, a 17th-century Mughal monument, is one of India’s key historical sites and remains crowded with tourists year-round. Prime Minister Modi delivers his annual Independence Day address from this location every 15 August.
In April this year, 26 Hindu tourists were killed in a terrorist attack in Jammu and Kashmir. India blamed Pakistan-backed Islamist militants for that attack—an accusation Islamabad denied. The incident led to the worst military confrontation between the two nations in decades, ending after four days with a ceasefire agreement.
