Loud Sound Caused By Bus Tyre Burst Sparks Panic Among Mahipalpur Locals In Delhi After Red Fort Blast

Panic gripped residents of Mahipalpur in southwest Delhi on Thursday after a bus tyre burst in the area. The incident caused a minor scare as it came in the backdrop of a high-intensity explosion in the heavily crowded Red Fort area on Monday evening, killing 13 people and injuring several others.

Delhi Fire Services received a call at 9.19 am informing them about a blast-like loud sound near Radisson in Mahipalpur, following which they sent three fire tenders to the spot. Extensive checking was carried out, but officers found nothing suspicious.

In a post on X (formerly Twitter), Delhi police said, "A call of blast near Radisson, Mahipalpur, was received and staff was rushed to the spot. The caller was contacted and it was informed that while the caller was on way to Gurugram, a loud noise was heard. On the spot, no incident site was found. During local enquiry, a guard informed that the rear tyre of a DTC bus going toward Dhaula Kuan had burst and so the sound had come."

"The situation is normal and there is nothing to worry about," added the Delhi Police.

The death toll in the blast near the Red Fort early this week rose to 13 after another victim succumbed to his injuries at LNJP Hospital in New Delhi.

The blast on a busy Monday evening came hours after nine people, including three doctors, were arrested and 2,900 kg explosives seized with the uncovering of a "white collar" terror module involving the Jaish-e-Mohammed and Ansar Ghazwat-ul-Hind and spanning Kashmir, Haryana and Uttar Pradesh.

The Delhi Police FIR, which termed the explosion near Red Fort "a bomb blast", has charged the accused under sections pertaining to conspiracy and the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, officials said. The Red Fort metro station has been closed for commuters, and traffic restrictions imposed in the area as investigations are underway.