Amit Shah reviews situation after blast near Red Fort in Delhi

Union Home Minister Amit Shah spoke to the Delhi Police chief and the director of the Intelligence Bureau to take stock of the situation following a blast near the Red Fort that has so far claimed eight lives, sources said.

Shah also directed the chiefs of the National Security Guard (NSG), National Investigation Agency (NIA) and forensic sciences to send expert teams to the blast site to assist the probe and collect evidence.

The Home Minister spoke to the Delhi Police Commissioner, the director of the Intelligence Bureau and the Union Home Secretary to take stock of the situation following the blast, sources said.

The three top officers briefed him about the incident, they said.

Experts of NSG and investigators of NIA have rushed to the blast site, sources said. The NSG team comprised explosive experts, while the NIA team consisted of investigators experienced in terror cases.

A team of forensic experts has also rushed to the spot, sources said.

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

Twenty-four persons 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.