A thunderous blast in I-20 car turned Old Delhi’s historic Subhash Marg into a war zone tonight, killing 10 people and wounding 24 others just 200 metres from the iconic Red Fort. Delhi Police Commissioner Satish Golcha rushed to the spot within 25 minutes and has since taken complete command of what is now India’s most urgent terror investigation.
The Explosion That Shook the Capital
At exactly 6:52 PM IST, a silver Hyundai i-20 stopped at a red light and suddenly detonated with terrifying force. The explosion was so powerful that it flipped nearby e-rickshaws, set six vehicles ablaze, and scattered twisted metal and human remains across 150 metres of the busy road.
“I was selling chai when the car just vanished in a ball of fire. The heat burnt my face from 50 feet away,” recounted Mohammed Arif, a roadside vendor who suffered second-degree burns.
Seven fire tenders fought the inferno for 37 minutes before bringing it under control at 7:29 PM. Medical teams from LNJP Hospital turned the pavement into a makeshift trauma centre, performing emergency amputations and intubations under mobile floodlights. By 10 PM, the death toll had climbed to 10, with eight victims still critical in the burns ICU.
Delhi Police Commissioner Golcha’s Iron Grip
Delhi Police Commissioner Satish Golcha, known for his hands-on style during the 2020 riots, has made this case personal. Reaching the blast site in full combat gear, he immediately set up a war room inside a nearby police station.
Speaking to reporters amid the smell of burning rubber and flesh, Delhi Police Commissioner Golcha declared:
“This blast in i-20 car was designed to create maximum panic in the heart of India. I promise the people of Delhi – we will hunt down every person involved, dead or alive. No one sleeps until the culprits are neutralised.”
Within hours, he:
- Activated the Special Cell’s entire counter-terror grid
- Roped in NSG bomb-data experts and NIA sleuths
- Ordered drone patrols over Delhi-NCR borders
- Personally briefed Union Home Minister Amit Shah at 9:15 PM when the minister landed by helicopter
Forensic Breakthroughs from the Blast in I-20 Car
Bomb squad robots recovered fragments of the Haryana-registered i-20’s number plate. Initial chemical swabs confirm a deadly cocktail of ammonium nitrate, RDX, and aluminium powder – the same signature used by Jaish-e-Mohammed modules.
Most chilling: today morning, Jammu & Kashmir Police seized 2,900 kg of identical explosives in Faridabad, arresting eight JeM operatives. Delhi Police Commissioner Golcha has ordered immediate cross-matching of fingerprints and DNA from both scenes.
CCTV cameras captured the i-20 entering Subhash Marg at 6:41 PM. Enhancement labs in Rohini are working overnight to unblur the driver’s face.
Nationwide Security Lockdown
Under direct orders from Delhi Police Commissioner Satish Golcha, India has shifted to its highest terror-alert level:
- 5,000 additional Delhi Police personnel deployed
- Random vehicle checks at all 127 city entry points
- Metro dog squads doubled; Red Line services suspended till morning
- Neighbouring states – UP, Haryana, Rajasthan – have sealed borders
- Maharashtra put Mumbai on ‘Category Red’ alert
- CISF commando teams are pre-positioned at airports and temples
Delhi Police Commissioner Golcha addressed citizens live on Doordarshan:
“Festivals are coming. Terrorists want fear to win. I urge every Delhiite – if you saw a silver i-20 acting strange, if someone abandoned a car, call 112 instantly. Your call can save hundreds.”
Political Storm and Public Anger
Prime Minister Narendra Modi cancelled all engagements and is receiving updates every 30 minutes. Home Minister Amit Shah spent 40 minutes at the blast site with Delhi Police Commissioner Golcha, promising “surgical justice”.
Opposition leaders reacted sharply:
- Rahul Gandhi: “Repeated intelligence failures are costing innocent lives.”
- Arvind Kejriwal: “This blast in I-20 car exposes a deeper conspiracy.”
- Mamata Banerjee offered full support from the West Bengal Police.
On social media, #DelhiBlast and #ThankYouGolcha trended within an hour, with thousands praising the commissioner’s visible leadership while demanding permanent blast barriers around heritage zones.
A City on Edge, A Leader Unbowed
As midnight approaches, the charred skeleton of the I-20 still smoulders under a blue tarpaulin near Lal Qila. Floodlights illuminate hundreds of officers combing every inch for secondary devices.
Schools have advanced tomorrow’s parent pick-up drills. Markets are installing metal detectors overnight. Temples have cancelled late-night aartis.
Yet amid the grief, there is defiance. Candle marches have begun in Connaught Place. Strangers are hugging uniformed officers. Auto drivers are offering free rides to blast victims’ families.
Delhi Police Commissioner Satish Golcha ended his latest briefing with steel in his voice:
“To the cowards who did this – listen carefully. Delhi bends for no one. We will find you. We will finish you. This is my city. And tonight, every officer is my brother.”https://www.ratopati.com/
The hunt continues. The nation watches. Delhi stands unbroken.https://theinfohatch.com/neha-sharma-father-ajit-sharma-bihar-elections/