Church leaders in India have expressed deep sorrow over the reported loss of 13 lives in a powerful explosion near Delhi’s historic Red Fort on the evening of Nov. 10.
The explosion took place around 6:52 p.m. inside a car near a traffic signal in a crowded area, injuring around 24 people and damaging other vehicles, said Federal Home Minister Amit Shah
Authorities are investigating the cause of the explosion, which is suspected to have been triggered either by a CNG (compressed natural gas) cylinder or a low-intensity improvised explosive device (IED).
Officials have yet to formally confirm the cause of the blast or name suspects, but they appear to be treating the explosion as a potential act of terrorism, not just a criminal or accidental blast, according to media reports.
“All concerned security agencies are now examining every angle to uncover the motive behind the blast,” said Delhi Police Commissioner Satish Golcha.
The entire area around the 17th-century Mughal fortress, visited by thousands of tourists every day, and where Indian prime ministers give their Independence Day speeches each year, has been sealed off.
India’s national capital and other major cities have been placed on high security alert.
“The Catholic Church in New Delhi joins others to condole the lives lost in the blast and pray for the speedy recovery of the people who are injured,” said Father Savarimuthu Sankar, spokesperson of Delhi archdiocese.
He hoped that the federal government would take all the necessary steps to uncover the truth behind the blast and maintain peace.
“The Church has always stood for peace and promotes brotherhood among all faiths, and hopes innocent lives are not lost in mindless violence,” Sankar told UCA News on Nov. 11.
A C Michael, the convenor of the ecumenical United Christian Forum, said civil society needs to work closely with the government of the day to ensure social harmony in the country in difficult times.
“It is the responsibility of the incumbent government to maintain harmony in the country,” said the Catholic lay leader, who is a former member of the Delhi Minorities Commission.
Michael said that politicians should avoid making statements that “create unnecessary divisive feelings among the citizenry.”
Prime Minister Narendra Modi, while expressing condolences to those who lost their loved ones and wishing a quick recovery to the injured, said “those affected are being assisted by authorities.”
Opposition parties criticized the pro-Hindu Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led federal government for what it called “a serious security lapse.”
The Congress Party questioned whether the national capital “is truly as secure as the Home Ministry claims.”
Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge urged the government to conduct a swift and thorough investigation into the incident and ensure that those responsible for the “lapse” are held accountable.
Delhi has witnessed terror bomb attacks in the past, particularly during the 1980s and 1990s, when public places like bus stations and busy markets were targeted in strikes linked to Islamist militants and separatists from Punjab.
In December 2001, five terrorists stormed the parliament complex in New Delhi, killing nine people, including security personnel.
The last major terror incident was in 2011, when a briefcase bomb exploded outside the Delhi High Court, killing about a dozen people.