1 dead, several injured in powerful blast in car near Red Fort
New Delhi (PTI): A high-intensity blast ripped through a car parked near the Red Fort here on Monday evening, engulfing nearby vehicles in flames and killing at least one person and injuring several others, officials said.
Police sounded a high alert in Delhi. Seven fire tenders were rushed to the spot with police cordoning off the area, the Delhi Fire Services (DFS) said.
The explosion was so powerful that it shattered windows of vehicles parked several metres away and was heard in nearby buildings of the congested area.
"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.
The accused, a teacher at Al Falah University, was reportedly wanted in a case related to terror outfit Jaish-e-Mohammed in Srinagar.
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Lebanon appoints new representative for talks with Israel, rejects linkage to Iran
Beirut: Lebanon’s has moved to underline its independent position in ongoing regional developments, amid attempts to link the country to the broader conflict involving Iran, the United States and Israel.
President Joseph Aoun, while announcing the appointment of former US ambassador Simon Karam as Lebanon’s representative in talks with Israel, made it clear that Karam would be the sole representative for Lebanon and that there would be no substitute.
The move comes in response to what the Lebanese officials see as efforts by Iran to tie Lebanon’s situation to the wider regional conflict. Iran had indicated that there would be no ceasefire involving the US, Israel and Iran unless it also included a ceasefire in Lebanon.
Some groups, including Hezbollah and its supporters, had expressed support for linking the situations, citing concerns that the Lebanese government has limited leverage in negotiations with Israel. Lebanon is not formally a party to the conflict, and its army is considered weak.
However, others, including Prime Minister Nawaf Salam, have opposed this approach. They view Iran’s stance as an attempt to influence Lebanon’s internal affairs and see it as undermining the country’s sovereignty.
Officials backing the government’s position say the move is aimed at reaffirming Lebanon’s sovereignty and ensuring that decisions about peace and ceasefire within the country are not dictated externally.
They also see it as a safeguard, so that any breakdown in talks between the US, Israel and Iran does not automatically lead to renewed conflict in Lebanon.
