A high-intensity blast tore through a car parked near the Red Fort in Delhi on Monday evening, plunging the area into chaos. Several people were feared dead, and many sustained injuries.
Videos showed the car completely damaged in the blast. The windows of vehicles parked several meters away were also damaged in the incident.
The incident occurred near Gate No. 1 of the Red Fort Metro Station.
Seven fire tenders reached the spot soon after the blast.
Car parts were strewn around because of the blast, the news agency ANI reported.
Visuals of the incident showed plumes of fire billowing from the burning car. Panic gripped the area that was teeming with people.
"I never heard such a loud explosion ever in my life," an eyewitness said, adding that he "fell three times due to the explosion."
Senior police officials visited the scene and began investigations. "As of now, I can't tell you anything. An investigation is being done," a senior police officer said.
"We got information that there was a blast in a car near Chandni Chowk Metro Station. We responded immediately, and seven units were sent to the spot. At 7:29 p.m., the fire was brought under control," the news agency ANI quoted Deputy Chief Fire Officer A.K. Malik as saying.
The explosion comes just hours after the recovery of around 360kg of suspected ammonium nitrate and a cache of arms and ammunition from a Kashmiri doctor's rented accommodation in Faridabad, Haryana.