New Delhi

A high-intensity explosion ripped through a car parked near the Red Fort metro station on Monday evening, gutting several vehicles and killing at least eight people, officials said.

Twenty-four people were injured in the blast that took place on a busy evening when the area was milling with people. The injured were taken to the LNJP hospital a few kilometres away.

Videos shared by the Chandni Chowk Traders' Association showed the magnitude of the blast. A body could be seen lying on a vehicle. Another video showed a body lying on the road. Eyewitnesses said body parts could be seen scattered near the blast site.

"The blast occurred in a car parked near Red Fort Metro Station gate number 1. The intensity was quite high. Injuries are feared," said a senior official of Delhi Fire Service.

The anti-terror squad and Delhi Police Special Cell were on the spot to assess the situation. Further details were awaited.

Visuals of the incident showed plumes of fire billowing from the burning cars. Panic gripped the area that was swarming with a huge crowd of people.

“I was at the gurdwara when I heard a strong sound. We couldn’t make out what it was, it was that loud,” said an eyewitness. “A number of vehicles nearby were completely damaged,” he added.

Another resident said the impact was so strong that nearby shops and buildings shook. “I had come here to buy something when I heard a huge blast. The whole shop trembled,” he said. “Several people were injured, and many were being taken away from the spot soon after.”

The blast comes hours after the recovery of around 360 kg of suspected ammonium nitrate and a cache of arms and ammunition from a Kashmiri doctor’s rented accommodation in Haryana’s Faridabad.

Haryana Police, in coordination with their Jammu and Kashmir counterparts, arrested Dr Muzammil from Faridabad’s Dhauj area and recovered explosive materials, weapons, and timers from his rented house.

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The accused, a teacher at Al Falah University, was reportedly wanted in a case related to terror outfit Jaish-e-Mohammed in Srinagar.