The Indian government on Wednesday classified the recent car blast in New Delhi as a “terrorist incident”, Information Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw said after the Cabinet meeting.
A car exploded near the historic Red Fort in Delhi around 7 pm local time on Monday, with the blast causing a huge fire that spread to nearby cars and rickshaws. At least eight people died in this incident.
The “terrorism” classification gives investigating authorities broad powers to arrest or detain people.
Earlier on Wednesday, security agencies had detained several suspects from the disputed Kashmir region as part of their investigation.
Five people were detained for questioning in a series of raids that lasted throughout the night.
Police officials on Wednesday detained at least five people for questioning in a series of raids overnight in the Pulwama district of Indian-administered Kashmir.
Police in Kashmir earlier said they had dismantled a suspected terrorist cell operating from the disputed area to the outskirts of New Delhi.
Police in Faridabad, a city in Haryana state near New Delhi, arrested at least seven people, including two doctors, and seized weapons and a large quantity of bomb-making material.
Indian media say the blast may be linked to the same cell, but police have not commented, citing their ongoing investigation.
If Monday’s blast is confirmed as a deliberate attack, it would be the deadliest blast in the Indian capital since 2011.
Indian cities on high alert after Delhi blast
Security has been beefed up in major Indian cities, airports and railway stations after the deadly blast in the center of the capital city.
The Red Fort is one of the most famous sites in India and a major tourist attraction.
This fort is the place where the Indian Prime Minister gives the Independence Day speech every year on 15 August.
In 2000, terrorists attacked an Indian Army base inside the Red Fort, killing at least three people. Pakistan-based Lashkar-e-Taiba terrorist group has claimed responsibility for the attack.
Indian troops left the fort in December 2003, after which it was handed over to the Ministry of Tourism.
Edited by: Shawn Sinico