NEW DELHI: The national capital’s otherwise bustling heart Chandni Chowk was gripped with panic and disbelief on Monday evening after a blast ripped through the Red Fort area, leaving residents and shopkeepers stunned, even as the blast shock was felt till approximately three kilometres away.
The explosion was so severe that it smashed the glass panels of Gate No 1 at the Red Fort Metro station.
Residents in nearby Jama Masjid, Daryaganj, and even ITO areas said that they felt tremors and heard a deafening roar that shook buildings and rattled windows. “It felt like a massive cracker going off. The sound was so strong that we felt as if something had fallen on our building,” said a resident of Urdu Bazar near Jama Masjid.
Another resident Saeed described, “It felt like the earth caved in for two seconds. The noise was so sharp, it hurt our ears.”
Sanjay Bhargava, president of the Traders’ Welfare Association of Chandni Chowk, said that his secretary was present in the market when the explosion occurred. “It was massive. It did not sound like a cylinder blast. The market was shut early, as there was chaos outside, especially near the Chandni Chowk Metro station. The entry and exit points of the Red Fort Metro station at gates number 1 and 4 were restricted by then, and everyone inside the market was seen rushing towards the Chandni Chowk Metro station.”
Bhargava said that the market would remain open on Tuesday.
For many shopkeepers, it took more than an hour to leave the area, as police cordoned off the market and set up barricades. There was palpable fear all around. “It felt like a mini earthquake,” recalled Vineet Seth, a shop owner from Dariba Kalan. “We could hear the blast clearly, followed by screams of shoppers and complete chaos. We shut our shops immediately and left the place as soon as we could,” he said.
Even those a short distance away were shaken. Mehreen Fatima, a resident of Ballimaran, said that she was near Parathe Wali Gali for shopping when the blast occurred. “For a second, I thought people would start running, but everyone just froze in shock. Luckily, it was not very crowded today. Otherwise, it could have been far worse.”
Matia Mahal MLA Aaley Mohammad Iqbal posted on his social media platform, “The incident was ‘heartbreaking’”, and extended condolences to the victims’ families. “We stand with all those who have lost their loved ones,” he added.