NEW DELHI: A year after a car laden with explosives blew up near the Red Fort at around 6.52 pm on November 10 last year, killing more than 10 people, those who witnessed the blast unfold firsthand are yet to move on.
Ask them for their thoughts, and their reactions range from shock to horror. “I never imagined in my life that something like this could happen right at the centre of the national capital in front of the fort that still holds relevance... The place from where the Prime Minister addresses the nation every Independence Day,” says a local.
Recalling the chaos that unfolded that day in front of the seventeenth-century Mughal-era fort, Ravinder Kumar, who runs an eatery in the area, shares, “It was all chaos. I was taking care of my cart when the blast happened. Initially, we were not sure what happened. But we knew that this was a serious matter when we saw fire on the spot. We rushed some of the people to a hospital.”
Arun Kunar, who sells noodles on a cart facing the Red Fort is overcome with horror as he recounts the gory scenes he witnessed that day. “There were severed limbs lying on the road. My father and I can never forget that.” Sharing how the terror attack affected local trade, he shares, “For six months since the attack, we were not allowed to set up our cart for business in the area.”
He added that the curb forced them to return to their hometown in Lakhimpur Kheri in Uttar Pradesh, where they worked as daily-wage labourers and also depended on their agricultural land for their livelihood during the period.
For Gulam Mohammad, a local coconut seller, the day brings back a sense of fright. “My son was right here when the explosion took place. Thank God nothing happened to him. We were all so scared and shocked,” he says.
Mohammad also observes that security arrangements in the area have been stepped up since the incident. “I have a coconut business in Daryganj, too. I am lucky that I had other options to make a living; many people here lost their livelihood,” he further rues.
Vikas Singh, a local hawker, was among those who found themselves dangerously close to the explosion. “I did not realise the gravity of my injuries immediately after the incident as panic and confusion followed the explosion and people rushed to leave the area. The tension escalated rapidly and I ran towards the metro station side without even collecting the money from my cart,” the hawker added.
A visit to the area now suggests life has moved on in the lanes around the Red Fort. But the memories remain.
