New Delhi: The powerful explosion near Delhi’s Red Fort on Monday evening, which tore through a busy intersection and killed nine people, has left survivors and their families shattered and fearful. Among the 20 injured are 28-year-old Ankush Sharma and 20-year-old Rahul Kaushik, two friends whose evening visit to a temple turned into a nightmare.
The duo had gone to offer prayers at the Gauri Shankar Temple in Shahdara and were returning home on a bike when they stopped at a traffic signal near the blast site. It was 6:52 p.m. when the Hyundai i20 car parked nearby exploded, engulfing the area in flames and chaos.
Ankush was thrown onto a nearby vehicle, suffering severe burns on over 80 percent of his face and body, while Rahul collapsed on the road, his legs and arms charred by the heat. Despite his own injuries, Rahul reportedly tried to help Ankush reach safety before collapsing himself.
“He came home trembling,” said Rahul’s mother, her voice breaking as she recalled the ordeal. “His hands, feet, head, and ears are badly hurt. He can hardly hear now. He keeps saying he saw fire everywhere.” Rahul has since been admitted to Guru Teg Bahadur Hospital in critical condition.
Ankush’s family is struggling to come to terms with his condition. His sister-in-law said his face was completely burned and that he will likely need multiple rounds of plastic surgery. “Tiny metal and soot particles are embedded in his skin. The pain is unbearable,” she said.
For both families, the incident has shaken their trust in the capital’s security. “This has been a terrible shock for us,” said a relative. “Even with such tight security in Delhi, how could something like this happen right in the heart of the city? This is unacceptable and cannot be ignored.”
Union Home Minister Amit Shah, who visited the site and met some of the injured, said that “all possible angles are being examined” in the ongoing investigation.
“We are conducting a comprehensive probe and will share the findings with the public. I have directed security agencies to intensify vigilance and ensure such incidents do not recur,” he stated.
As Delhi reels from the blast, survivors and their families are left with deep scars both physical and emotional and a growing fear that the nation’s capital, despite its high-security apparatus, remains vulnerable to acts of terror.