Delhi blast: Arun Jaitley Stadium sees increased security for Ranji Trophy game after explosion near Red Fort

Security has been tightened around Delhi’s Arun Jaitley Stadium ahead of the final day of the Ranji Trophy Group D match between Delhi and Jammu & Kashmir, following a deadly blast near the Red Fort on Monday evening. The historic monument is located just a few kilometres from the stadium.

Delhi & District Cricket Association (DDCA) secretary Ashok Sharma confirmed that additional security arrangements are being made in coordination with local police ahead of the final day of the Ranji Trophy game.

“Security to be beefed up near Feroz Shah Kotla Stadium (renamed Arun Jaitley Stadium) on the final day of the Ranji Trophy match between Delhi and Jammu & Kashmir,” Sharma told PTI on Monday.

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“I would be getting in touch with Delhi Police authorities and request them to deploy additional security outside the stadium premises,” he added.

What caused the blast?

The explosion, which occurred near the Red Fort metro station, happened in a moving Hyundai i20 car and destroyed several nearby vehicles. Reports suggest that at least nine people were killed and several others were injured in the incident. The blast took place in the evening when the area was crowded with a lot of people.

Police teams and forensic experts have been deployed at the site to investigate the cause of the explosion, while the nearby areas have been cordoned off. An FIR has also been registered at Kotwali police station under the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act (UAPA) and the Explosives Act and several BNS sections.

“The blast occurred in a moving Hyundai i20 car in which three people were sitting. We have not found any pellet or puncture in the body of the injured, which is unusual in a blast. We are investigating all angles,” said a senior police officer.

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The Delhi Police detained car owner Mohd. Salman late in the evening and questioned him about the vehicle, the officer said, adding that he sold it to a person in Okhla namely Devendra one-and-a-half years ago.

Later, the vehicle was sold to someone in Ambala and it was again sold to a man named Tariq in Pulwama, and police are tracing the people, the officer said. A high alert has been sounded in Delhi, and security has been beefed up at city border points, with vehicle checking intensified.

(With agency inputs)