Red Fort Blast Aftermath: Markets Shut as Probe Intensifies Amid Fear

The iconic Lajpat Rai Market, located directly opposite the blast site, remained shut on Tuesday following directions from the police and investigative agencies.

Traders said the decision was taken collectively in the morning after officials advised them to keep the area clear for evidence collection.

"Many metallic and burnt fragments fell over our shops after the blast. These could be crucial for forensic examination, so police asked us to close for the day," said one trader from the market.

Officials from multiple investigative agencies, including forensic teams, began combing the site early Tuesday, meticulously collecting debris and examining the damaged vehicles.

The Central Radio and Electronics Merchants Association (CREMA), which represents traders of Old Lajpat Rai Market, confirmed that the entire area has been sealed for inspection.

"Our association has requested all shop owners to fully cooperate and to inform their staff, manufacturers, and customers not to visit the area today," said CREMA President Sanjay Nagpal, adding that this would help reduce congestion and allow investigators to work without disruption.

The usually bustling market, known as the electronics hub of Old Delhi, draws traders from across India. On normal days, narrow lanes here teem with people and vehicles. But on Tuesday, the familiar sounds of bargaining and shop shutters rolling up were replaced by silence and the hum of police radios.

The Red Fort has also been closed to tourists as a precaution. However, other nearby markets -- including the main Chandni Chowk, Camera Market, Gold and Silver Market, and Clothing Market -- were open.

Footfall, though, remained thin, with traders reporting a sharp drop in visitors.

The Red Fort Metro Station too remains operational, though some gates have been temporarily shut. Gate No. 2 and another entrance are open for passengers, police said.

At the nearby Gauri Shankar Temple, rituals and prayers were held as usual on Tuesday, with devotees offering prayers.

Residents in the area, still shaken by Monday evening’s explosion, spoke of the shock that rippled through Old Delhi’s crowded lanes.

"The blast was so powerful that the glass panes of several shops shattered instantly," said Subhash Chakraborty, Vice President of the local Resident Welfare Association.

Schools in the vicinity, including those in Daryaganj and Civil Lines, remained open. "There is fear, but life has to move on," Chakraborty said, adding: "Local residents are cooperating fully with the police and are ready to help in any way possible."

The blast site near the Red Fort remains cordoned off, with traffic diverted from Netaji Subhash Marg and adjoining roads. Traders pointed out that the area’s chronic traffic jams, illegal parking, and encroachments had made the narrow stretch particularly vulnerable.

"Even on ordinary days, the congestion here is unbearable. After the blast, it became chaotic," said Rajesh Kumar, who runs a shop in the Camera Market, about a hundred metres from the explosion site.

"Most of us shut our shops immediately after the blast on Monday evening to ensure everyone’s safety," he added.

Panic had spread quickly across the nearby Cycle Market, Watch Market, and Lajpat Rai Market, where hundreds of traders downed shutters within minutes of the explosion.

Police teams, sniffer dogs, and bomb disposal units continued to sweep the area on Tuesday, as investigators searched for clues to what triggered the powerful blast that killed at least eight people and injured several others.

- IANS