Delhi explosion: India police exploring ‘all possibilities’ after Red Fort blast kills eight

On Monday night, Prime Minister Narendra Modi had said he had reviewed the situation around the Delhi blast with Home Minister Amit Shah and other officials.

He had also extended condolences to the families of those killed in the blast.

Just moments ago, he arrived in Bhutan on a scheduled two-day visit. He will be attending celebrations for the 70th birthday of Jigme Singye Wangchuck, the former king of Bhutan who abdicated the throne in 2006 in favour of his son. Modi will also meet King Jigme Singye Wangchuck and Prime Minister Tshering Tobgay.

Visuals from the morning after the explosion reveal the extent of the damage and the security in place.

A large number of investigators are at the site, combing through the debris for clues about how the explosion unfolded.

The Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) has announced that the Red Fort will remain closed to visitors for the next three days.

The decision is aimed at reducing public gatherings near the monument as the investigation at the site of Monday’s blast is carried out.

Home Minister Amit Shah, who oversees the overall security of the country, is due to chair a high-level security review meeting at 11:00 India time (05:30 GMT), news agency ANI reports.

The meeting will be attended by senior security officials, including Home Secretary Govind Mohan, the director of the Intelligence Bureau, the director general of the National Investigation Agency and the Delhi police commissioner.

On Monday, Shah had visited the blast site and said he would be holding a high-level meeting.

The cause of the explosion remains unknown, but Shah and other officials have repeatedly said they are “exploring all possibilities”.

No shrapnel has been found yet at the site of the blast, Delhi police official Raja Banthia has told reporters.

“We are examining the scene of the crime.

“The Forensic Science Laboratory is lifting traces of explosives. We’ll be able to tell what they are in one or two days,” he says.

We earlier reported that last night’s blast was being investigated under the Explosives Act, which controls the possession and use of combustible substances.

A senior police official has now confirmed that they have also registered a case under the dreaded anti-terror law called the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act (UAPA). He did not explain the reason for doing so.

“Investigations have been initiated and multiple specialised teams from the Delhi police, the Forensic Science Laboratory and the National Security Guard are present at the crime scene, lifting evidence to help the investigation,” Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP) Raja Banthia told reporters on Tuesday morning.

“We cannot comment on anything conclusively until we have hard facts,” he added. “The investigation is in its preliminary stages.”

Security has been tightened across Delhi and beyond after last night’s blast.

Police presence has been increased at sites across the Indian capital, including transport hubs and crowded areas.

There are also high alerts in place in other regions, including the state of Maharashtra, which includes Mumbai, India’s financial capital.

While India digests the news of last night’s blast in the capital, Delhi, voters are heading to the polls in the eastern state of Bihar.

Ballots are being cast in a second and final round of voting in the key Indian state.

Bihar’s race has been framed as a key test for Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) ahead of further crucial local elections.

Security issues regularly feature prominently in elections in the country.

It’s morning in the Indian capital and we’re seeing the aftermath of Monday’s blast in daylight for the first time.

Pictures reveal the extent of the damage, with several destroyed vehicles still lining the road close to Red Fort.

The fire damage gives an indication of the intensity of the blaze which broke out in the aftermath.

A large number of investigators are at the site combing through the debris for clues about how the explosion unfolded.

A Delhi police spokesman has confirmed last night’s blast is being investigated under the Explosives Act, which controls the possession and use of combustible substances.

Speaking at the scene this morning, Raja Banthia also tells reporters the incident has been registered under “relevant sections” of the Indian penal code.

His comments were published by Indian news agency PTI.

As a reminder, Indian officials have still not formally confirmed they believe the blast was deliberate, or identified a suspect.

BBC Verify have been looking at images from the scene of the explosion to try and find out what they tell us about the incident.

They confirm a large fire broke out in the aftermath and show the extent of the damage to the area and nearby vehicles.

You can watch some of their findings below.

Senior security officials are expected to meet at the home ministry this morning to discuss the unfolding investigation into the explosion near the Red Fort in Delhi.

The high-level meeting was confirmed last night by Amit Shah, the government minister who has overall control over security in India.

He visited the blast site last night and said he was “pained beyond words” by the explosion.

Footage published by Indian news agency ANI this morning shows investigators still at the scene this morning.

Several security agencies are involved in examining last night’s deadly explosion.

There are lots of competing reports circulating in Indian media this morning but we are still waiting for a significant official update – we’ll bring you any confirmed information as soon as we have it.

The explosion happened close to the entrance of a metro station serving Red Fort, one of Delhi’s most recognisable and visited historic sites.

The Mughal-era construction is more than 350 years old and its surrounding area is usually extremely busy.

It is situated to the north of a section of the city known as Old Delhi, which is home to some of the Indian capital’s most important heritage sites.

Investigators are trying to piece together the movement’s of the car involved in the blast.

Several Indian media outlets are reporting that the vehicle was in the vicinity of Red Fort for some hours before the explosion occurred.

It’s claimed the red Hyundai i20 was stationary in a nearby car park, before slowly moving towards the junction close to the metro station where it exploded.

Those reports have not been confirmed by police or BBC News so far, and we are awaiting a fresh update from investigators from Delhi, where it is around 6:30am.

Speaking to the PTI news agency last night, ambulance driver Mohammad Asad described seeing at least four bodies on the ground when he arrived at the scene.

“The vehicles next to the bodies were on fire,” he said.

“I and a couple of other ambulance drivers collected the bodies and took them to the hospital.”

India’s home affairs minister Amit Shah confirmed overnight that investigators are “exploring all possibilities” behind the explosion.

The senior minister, who has overall control of state security, said in an earlier statement that the incident was being investigated “with full intensity”.

There has been a great deal of speculation in Indian media and online about the cause of the explosion – but so far officials have not said definitively whether they believe it was a deliberate attack.

An investigation into the cause of a blast which rocked the Indian capital on Monday evening is ongoing.

If you’re just joining our coverage, here is what we know so far:

• At least eight people died when a massive explosion occurred close to the Red Fort, one of the Indian capital’s most visited historic sites, at 18:52 local time (13:22 GMT) on Monday
• Another 20 people were injured in the blast, which happened outside a metro station and reduced nearby cars to twisted wreckage

• Police say the car where the explosion originated- a Hyundai i20 carrying three passengers – stopped at a red light before it exploded
• It is not yet known what caused the blast, but investigators are attempting to trace the origin of the car and its ownership
• Several sites have been put on high security alert in the aftermath, including historic monuments and airports

At least eight people have been killed and another 20 injured, police say, after an explosion in a car near the Red Fort in a populous area of Delhi.

Delhi Police Commissioner Satish Golcha says it happened around 18:52 local time (13:22 GMT), when a slow-moving vehicle stopped at a red light before it exploded. There were three people in the Hyundai i20 vehicle when it happened, police tell the BBC.

Officers have not said what caused the blast, and an official at the scene tells the BBC they expect a long night ahead while they establish the cause.

There is a heavy security presence at the nearby hospital where many of the injured have been brought. Meanwhile, the neighbouring region of Uttar Pradesh and a number of Delhi’s travel sites have been put on high alert.

We’re ending our live coverage now. You can read more in our news story here.