AFP Asia

India’s government on Wednesday vowed to bring the “perpetrators, their collaborators, and their sponsors” of a deadly car blast in the heart of the capital to justice and called it an act of terrorism.The powerful blast on Monday killed at least 12 people and wounded 30 others, according to hospital officials.It was the most significant security incident since April 22, when 26 mainly Hindu civilians were killed at the tourist site of Pahalgam in Indian-administered Kashmir, triggering clashes with Pakistan.”The country has witnessed a heinous terror incident, perpetrated by anti-national forces, through a car explosion near the Red Fort”, a cabinet statement read, after a meeting chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.It was the first confirmation that India is treating the blast as an act of terrorism. The historic Red Fort in the crowded Old Delhi quarter of the city is one of India’s most well-known landmarks, and the site of the annual prime minister’s Independence Day speech.The cabinet expressed “profound grief” over the loss of lives.It did not give further details of who might have been behind the attack, but said India would maintain a policy of “zero tolerance towards terrorism in all its forms”.It condemned what it called a “dastardly and cowardly act that has led to the loss of innocent lives”.- Car exploded in traffic -Ritu Saxena, the chief medical officer of Delhi’s LNJP hospital, told AFP earlier on Wednesday that “12 people have died and more than 30 are injured”. Witnesses described to AFP how the car exploded in traffic and how people caught up in the surge of flames were set on fire.The explosion came hours after Indian police said they had arrested a gang and seized explosive materials and assault rifles.Police said the men were linked with Jaish-e-Mohammed, a Pakistan-based Islamist group, and Ansar Ghazwat-ul-Hind, a Kashmir offshoot of the jihadist group Al-Qaeda.Both groups are listed as terrorist organisations in India.The government ordered an investigation with the “utmost urgency” so that “the perpetrators, their collaborators, and their sponsors are identified and brought to justice without delay.”India’s National Investigation Agency is leading the probe into the explosion.The government added India’s “steadfast resolve to safeguard the lives” of all its citizens, consistent with “its enduring commitment to national security”.It also thanked foreign governments for messages of solidarity.In the attack in April in Pahalgam, Indian authorities were swift to accuse Pakistan of backing the gunmen — claims denied by Islamabad.That attack sparked clashes between the nuclear-armed arch rivals in May, when more than 70 people were killed in missile, drone and artillery exchanges before a ceasefire was struck.On Tuesday, after a suicide bomber in Islamabad killed at least 12 people, Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif blamed “terrorist proxies backed by India”.India rejected the “baseless and unfounded” allegations made by an “obviously delirious Pakistani leadership”.The Islamabad attack was claimed by a faction of the Pakistani Taliban.US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said he spoke about the Delhi blast on the sidelines of a Group of Seven meeting in Canada with his Indian counterpart Subrahmanyam Jaishankar.Asked if the attack could re-inflame tensions with Pakistan, Rubio told reporters: “We’re aware of the potential that holds. But I think the Indians need to be commended. They’ve been very measured and cautious and very professional in how they’re carrying out this investigation.”“It clearly was a terrorist attack, and was a car loaded with highly explosive materials that detonated and killed a lot of people.”

Shubman Gill’s India will look to extend their Test domination at home when a two-match series begins against world champions South Africa on Friday in Kolkata.India’s recent 2-0 sweep of West Indies took them past South Africa to be the third-most successful team at home in Test cricket.They have 122 wins in the five-day format in India, behind only Australia, who have 262 home wins and England who have 241.India’s excellent home run suffered a setback last year when New Zealand achieved a rare 3-0 Test sweep on Indian soil.The hosts bounced back in style against the West Indies last month with a 2-0 victory in Gill’s first home assignment as Test captain.That followed a 2-2 draw in the five-Test series in England, Gill’s first in charge.South Africa beat Australia to win the World Test Championship (WTC) final at Lord’s in June and recently drew 1-1 in Pakistan. They will be no pushovers under captain Temba Bavuma despite many of their players making their debuts in India.South African head coach Shukri Conrad said having quality spinners, including Keshav Maharaj, Senuran Muthusamy and Simon Harmer, gave the team a boost.”Yes, I think it gives us a lot of confidence,” Conrad told reporters at Eden Gardens on Wednesday.”Not saying that we didn’t have good spinners in the past, but we certainly think we’ve got a better pack of spinners now in Keshav, Simon and Sen.”We are quietly confident that we can make history of our own here at Eden Gardens and in India,” he said.- Pant returns -Gill, 26, has led from the front after the retirements of Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma and Ravichandran Ashwin.He scored 754 runs against England and an unbeaten 129 to set up victory in the second Test against the West Indies. Gill has hinted he would like pitches prepared that provide a balance between bat and ball, rather than the sharply spinning surfaces that have been prevalent in the past.The pitch at Kolkata’s famous stadium is expected to aid reverse swing but become slower as the match progresses.India have been boosted by the return of livewire wicketkeeper-batsman Rishabh Pant, who recently led India A against South Africa A in two four-day matches.Pant, a flamboyant left-handed batsman and chattering presence behind the stumps, missed the West Indies series while he recovered from a foot fracture.India’s back-up wicketkeeper Dhruv Jurel hit twin centuries in the second match against South Africa A and is almost certain to play as a batter.”I don’t think you can leave him (Jurel) out for this Test is the short answer,” India’s assistant coach Ryan ten Doeschate said. “But obviously, you can only pick 11 as well. So someone else will have to miss out. I think we’ve got a pretty good idea of the combination.”The visitors will feature several players, including Bavuma, who warmed up for the series by playing for South Africa A last week when they beat India A by five wickets.Bavuma, who has captained South Africa in 10 Tests — winning nine and drawing one — missed the tour of Pakistan, where Aiden Markram stood in as captain.Eight of South Africa’s squad have never played a Test in India.Bavuma, opening batsman Markram and pace spearhead Kagiso Rabada have the most experience of Indian conditions. Batsman Zubayr Hamza and left-arm spinner Muthusamy were on the 2019 tour and Harmer played in 2015.South Africa have a poor recent record in India, having lost their previous two series 3-0. Their last series win came under Hansie Cronje in 2000.The second Test is in Guwahati from November 22 and will be followed by three one-day internationals and five Twenty20 matches.

Residents in the Pakistani capital Islamabad were facing tightened security checks on Wednesday in the wake of a suicide bombing that left top officials vowing to halt the rise in deadly attacks.The deadly blast outside district court buildings on Tuesday was claimed by a faction of the Pakistani Taliban, a militant group that has been behind a series of attacks in other parts of the country.The district court remained closed on Wednesday while security was stepped up at other court buildings across the city, and long queues of vehicles formed at checkpoints. “Our army, police, and all law enforcement agencies are alert and performing their duties. Unfortunately, the question remains: Where are these attacks coming from, and how are they happening?” said resident Fazal Satar, 58.At least 12 people were killed and 27 wounded in the suicide bombing, the first such incident to hit the capital in nearly three years. “It was a very powerful explosion,” said Muhammad Imran, a 42-year-old police official who was wounded in the attack.”It was a very sudden bang, and I felt like someone had thrown me to the ground,” he told AFP.Sharjeel Ahmed, a 26-year-old student, worried about how the violence would affect foreign investment and Pakistan’s ability to host international sports matches. “In my opinion, this is a serious security lapse, and we must learn from it. If such attacks continue, how will the world trust us?” he said.Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and President Asif Zardari held security talks in the hours after the attack.”Both leaders reiterated their commitment that operations against foreign-backed terrorists and their facilitators will continue until terrorism is completely eradicated,” a statement from the president’s office said.- Judges, lawyers afraid -Islamabad has long since accused the Taliban authorities in Afghanistan of sheltering the Pakistani Taliban, which the Kabul government denies.The Taliban government expressed its “deep sorrow & condemnation” over the suicide bombing and a separate attack on a military-run college in Wana, near the Afghan frontier.A Pakistani security source, who spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorised to speak publicly, said all recruits at the Cadet College Wana were rescued after a raid that killed five militants. The insurgency waged by the Pakistani Taliban, known as the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), has focused mainly on Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province bordering Afghanistan. Pakistan has seen an uptick in violence since the Afghan Taliban returned to power in 2021, and bilateral relations have plummeted in recent weeks.The worst cross-border fighting in years killed more than 70 people last month, including dozens of Afghan civilians, according to the United Nations.In Pakistan, the TTP threatened more attacks until Islamic law is implemented in the Muslim-majority country.Hafiz Mazhar Malik Javeed, a lawyer burying a colleague killed in the suicide bombing, feared for the future.”All the judges and lawyers were afraid,” the 45-year-old said at the cemetery. “We thought, maybe after some times, they will attack us again.”

Syrupy aromas drift across the guarded compound of Bangladesh’s only licensed distillery, a state-owned producer posting record profits in the Muslim-majority nation, where Islamists are staging a political comeback.That’s a surprising success in a country where the vast majority of its 170 million people are barred from buying its products.Alcohol is tightly regulated in Bangladesh, the world’s fourth most populous Muslim nation.Carew and Co, established under British rule 87 years ago, produced $10 million in profit in 2024–25, and paid the same again in taxes, said managing director Rabbik Hasan.”This is the highest profit since the company’s establishment,” Hasan told AFP. “We expect further growth in the coming year.”Bangladesh has faced turbulent times.A mass uprising in August 2024 ousted the autocratic government of Sheikh Hasina, who had been criticised for extensive human rights abuses and had taken a hard line against Islamist movements during her 15-year rule.Since she fled to India — defying extradition orders to attend her crimes against humanity trial — Islamist groups have grown increasingly assertive.Alcohol, forbidden under Islam, has escaped their condemnation, but they have demanded restrictions on cultural activities they consider “anti-Islamic” —  including music and theatre festivals, women’s football matches, and kite-flying celebrations.An interim government is leading the South Asian nation towards elections expected in February 2026.But at the sprawling Darsana facility near the Indian border, humming machines fill bottles.Carew’s popular brands range from the golden-hued “Imperial Whisky” to “Tsarina Vodka”, distilled from sugarcane with flavourings imported from the Netherlands.”We never encourage anyone to drink — we only sell to those who already do,” Hassan added.- ‘Zero doubt’ -Buying an alcoholic drink in Bangladesh requires a government permit, issued only to those aged over 21, and mainly granted to non-Muslims, who require a medical prescription.”Alcohol is forbidden,” said Hasan Maruf, director general of the Department of Narcotics Control, but added that “exemptions exist for certain communities”.That includes foreigners and workers on the country’s tea estates, where Carew’s low-cost liquor is popular among the 150,000 mainly Hindu workers.Around 10 percent of Bangladeshi are not Muslims, mainly Hindus.This year, only the company’s sugar division suffered losses — with its mills also producing fertiliser, vinegar, and industrial alcohol.Carew provides the only source of regulated liquor — alongside a separate brewery producing Hunter, Bangladesh’s only beer, owned by the Jamuna Group conglomerate.Those are reliable products in a country where illegal moonshine stills — or the dangerous adulteration of imported liquor — has been a persistent problem.Fish trader Prince Mamun, 42, said he has been drinking Carew for two decades. “It’s cheaper and safer than imported brands,” he said, adding that he holds a permit and drinks about 20 days a month.”I drink Carew products with zero doubt.”Shah Alam, a devout Muslim and 38-year employee in the bottling unit, has never tasted the products.Yet he praises the distillery for its contributions to the local community, from education to employment.”I don’t drink anything from here, nor am I involved with the selling,” Alam, 59, said. “All I am doing here is my job.”

When families of those killed in Nepal’s deadly September protests that toppled the government demanded justice, the anguish felt painfully familiar to Sunamati Chaudhari.Her husband, an English teacher, was taken by security forces 22 years ago at the height of a decade-long civil war. He never returned.Chaudhari, 62, has been searching for the truth about her husband’s disappearance ever since.”We left no stone unturned in search of my husband. We went to court, sought help of many organisations — and even reached Geneva,” she told AFP, referring to her bid to seek help from the United Nations. “But nothing happened.”She is among the thousands of relatives waiting for closure since a 2006 peace deal ended a conflict in which more than 16,000 people were killed and 1,400 remain missing.Abuses were committed by both Maoist rebels and state forces.”I would dream of him every night,” Chaudhari said.Justice has been glacial in the Himalayan nation.Nepal’s authorities have long been criticised for failing to adequately probe wartime abuses.Two transitional justice commissions set up in 2015 have yet to resolve a single case, despite receiving more than 65,000 complaints of rape, murder and enforced disappearances.- ‘Culture of impunity’ -Nepal is now reeling from fresh political upheaval.Youth-led demonstrations against a social media ban, worsening economic woes and corruption erupted nationwide in September, leaving at least 76 people dead in a violent crackdown.Parliament, courts and civil service buildings were torched, and the government collapsed.Former chief justice Sushila Karki, 73, was named interim prime minister to steer Nepal until elections in March 2026.For many families still haunted by the civil war, the political shake-up has stirred a fragile mix of hope and anxiety.Preeti Tharu, 22, whose father was abducted by rebels before she was born, fears history will repeat itself.”The previous government only showed assurances,” she said. “And I know, with this changing situation, the state’s priority might be something else.”Gita Rasaili, who heads the Conflict Victim Women National Network, said she hoped they could find common cause with the new generation demanding government action.”We worried that our agenda was over, because there are now new victims’ families and new martyrs,” she told AFP.”But we are all fighting against a culture of impunity.”- ‘Volatile’ -In August, before the uprising, families gathered to mark the International Day of the Disappeared at a new memorial park in western Nepal’s Bardiya district.Families of some of the 258 missing people from the district planted trees and lit candles.Park coordinator Niranjan Kumar Chaudhari, whose father was taken away by the army, said the new crop of politicians in the interim government were among the few who had taken action to support their cause.”The current prime minister and home minister are both advocates for victims of war crimes,” Chaudhari said.”But the political situation is volatile.”It was under Karki’s watch as chief justice that a court in 2017 sentenced three soldiers to 20 years in jail for the murder of a teenage girl.At the time, it was only the second conviction for crimes committed during the war.The Commission of Investigation on Enforced Disappeared Persons says its work will continue regardless of the political situation.”We have received 2,610 complaints so far,” said commission chief Lila Devi Gadtaula, who aims to complete investigations within four years, with progress slowed by limited forensic resources.But for families like Chaudhari’s, time has already run out.In July, she and her two sons performed her husband’s death rites.”It’s already too late,” she said. “Many prime ministers have come and gone, but nobody addressed our problem.”

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday called a deadly car explosion in the heart of the capital a “conspiracy”, vowing those responsible will face justice.Police are yet to give exact details of what caused Monday’s incident near the historic Red Fort, one of India’s most well-known landmarks, and the site of the prime minister’s annual Independence Day speech.The blast killed at least eight people, and 19 others were injured when flames ripped through several vehicles.It was the first significant security incident since a shooting attack in late April left 26 people, mainly Hindus, dead at the tourist site of Pahalgam in Indian-administered Kashmir, triggering clashes with Pakistan.”I assure everyone that the agencies will get to the bottom of the entire conspiracy,” Modi said in a speech during a state visit to neighbouring Bhutan, without giving further details.”All those involved will be brought to justice,” he said.Indian authorities have stopped short of calling the blast an attack, saying they were awaiting forensic analysis.But on Tuesday, the home affairs ministry said that India’s anti-terrorism force, the National Investigation Agency, are leading the probe.Monday’s explosion came hours after Indian police said they had arrested a gang and seized explosive materials and assault rifles.Police said the men were linked with Jaish-e-Mohammed, a Pakistan-based Islamist group, and Ansar Ghazwat-ul-Hind, a Kashmir offshoot of jihadist group Al-Qaeda.Both groups are listed as terrorist organisations in India.Home Minister Amit Shah, after chairing security talks following the blast, said he had instructed officials “to hunt down each and every culprit behind this incident”.”Everyone involved in this act will face the full wrath of our agencies,” he added in a statement.- ‘People were burning’ -New Delhi’s deputy chief fire officer AK Malik told AFP shortly after the explosion that eight people had been killed.The Press Trust of India news agency reported on Tuesday that the death toll had risen to 12, although that figure has not been confirmed.Witnesses described to AFP how the car exploded in traffic and how people caught up in the surge of flames were set on fire.”People were on fire and we tried to save them… Cars and people were burning — people inside the cars were burning,” said Dharmindra Dhaga, 27.”I was telling the public to save them, rescue them, and get them out. The public was busy making videos and taking photos.”The emergency ward at Delhi’s LNJP hospital was chaotic after the explosion as wounded people streamed in and doctors rushed to treat them.In the attack in April in Pahalgam, Indian authorities were swift to accuse Pakistan of backing the gunmen — claims denied by Islamabad.That attack sparked clashes between the nuclear-armed arch rivals in May, when more than 70 people were killed in missile, drone and artillery exchanges before a ceasefire was struck.On Tuesday, after a suicide bomber in Islamabad killed at least 12 people, Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif blamed “terrorist proxies backed by India”.He did not provide any evidence.India on Tuesday night said it rejected the “baseless and unfounded” allegations made by an “obviously delirious Pakistani leadership”.Without directly referencing the Islamabad incident, foreign ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said in a statement that “it is a predictable tactic by Pakistan to concoct false narratives against India in order to deflect the attention” from its internal issues.

Charred vehicles and a mangled motorcycle lay outside Islamabad’s district court Tuesday, their metal frames still warm as investigators sealed off the area where a suicide bomber had killed at least 12 people.It was a rare assault at the heart of Pakistan’s capital where blood stained a two-way street, and shattered glass glimmered among the debris.”It was a very strong and terrifying explosion,” said Khalid Mandokhel, a 24-year-old lawyer.”Many of the victims were bystanders,” he told AFP at the scene.The blue police van hit in the blast stood crippled at the entrance, its metal pierced by shrapnel and tyres shredded, as investigators documented every mark on the vehicle.More than 25 people were wounded in the attack.Rustam Malik, another lawyer, said he “heard a loud bang at the gate” as he entered the complex, where daily, hundreds of people arrive to sort out legal matters. They did not expect to leave with their lives hanging by a thread. “There was thick smoke,” Malik told AFP.Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi told journalists outside the court that the attacker had lingered outside the building for several minutes before striking.”He could not go inside (the complex); he blew himself up near the police vehicle,” Naqvi said.- ‘Complete chaos’ -The complex, home to several courts, is usually one of the busiest areas in Islamabad during the day. Nearby offices of senior administration and police officials add to the dense crowds.Outside the government-run hospital where most of the victims were taken, people were milling about as rescue workers wheeled people with head and leg injuries into the emergency room. Security guards, on alert, prevented the media from entering.Back at the blast site, cordoned off at several points, investigators gathered evidence until late afternoon.A heavy presence of police and paramilitary soldiers combed through the wreckage as a stray dog rummaged through the remains, sniffing at the scattered debris.Malik recalled “complete chaos” —  lawyers and visitors running in panic after the explosion thundered through the compound. As investigators processed the scene, the lawyer waited patiently for police clearance so he could collect his vehicle which was damaged in the attack.”I saw two dead bodies lying at the gate and several cars were on fire,” he said.

The Pakistani Taliban claimed a suicide bombing that killed at least 12 people in Islamabad on Tuesday, a rare attack by the militant group on the country’s capital. The first such attack to hit the city in years sent people fleeing in panic, leaving shattered glass and charred vehicles on the road outside district court buildings. “Judges, lawyers and officials who carried out rulings under Pakistan’s un-Islamic laws were targeted,” the Pakistani Taliban (TTP) said, threatening more attacks until Islamic law is implemented in the Muslim-majority country. Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi said 12 people were killed and 27 wounded when the assailant detonated explosives near a police vehicle.A lawyer at the scene, Mohammed Shahzad Butt, said there was a “massive blast”.”Everyone started running inside out of panic. I have seen at least five dead bodies lying at the front gate,” he told AFP.An AFP journalist saw paramilitary troops cordoning off the site of the attack, which struck an area that also houses several government offices. Rustam Malik, another lawyer, told AFP he “heard a loud bang at the gate” as he was entering the complex. “It was complete chaos, lawyers and people were running inside the complex. I saw two dead bodies lying on the gate and several cars were on fire,” said Malik.The bombing follows the Indian capital Delhi being hit by a car explosion Monday, which killed at least eight people.The prime minister of Pakistan, Shehbaz Sharif, earlier accused the TTP and separatists from the country’s Balochistan region, both of whom have carried out attacks mostly on security forces.Islamabad has largely been spared major militant violence in recent years, with the last suicide attack occurring in December 2022.- Cross-border violence -But the country is facing a resurgence of attacks, which officials attribute mainly to armed groups allegedly sheltered on Afghan soil.The bombing came as Pakistani security forces battled militants who had holed up in a school in northwest Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s Wana district, near the Afghan border.”There was an attack in Wana as well last night,” Naqvi said. “Three people died in that attack. The attacker involved in that attack is an Afghan. Afghanistan is directly involved in that attack.”Recent attacks prompted a bloody clash between Pakistan and Afghanistan in October, their worst fighting across their border in years.More than 70 people were killed on both sides, including about 50 Afghan civilians, according to the United Nations.The two countries agreed to a fragile ceasefire, but failed to finalise its details during several rounds of negotiations that collapsed last week. Each side blamed the other for the impasse.Pakistan’s Defence Minister Khawaja Asif said the Islamabad suicide attack should be seen as “a wake-up call”.”In this environment, it would be futile to hold out greater hope for successful negotiations with the rulers of Kabul,” he wrote on X.Islamabad accuses Kabul of sheltering the Pakistani Taliban and other militant groups that launch attacks across a long, porous border, which the Afghan government denies.

A suicide bombing outside district court buildings in the Pakistani capital Islamabad killed at least 12 people and wounded 27 on Tuesday, the interior minister said.The first such attack to hit the city in years sent people fleeing in panic in an area which also houses several government offices. “A suicide attack was carried out,” Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi told journalists. “So far 12 people have been martyred and around 27 are wounded.”An AFP journalist saw paramilitary troops cordoning off the area where the minister said the assailant detonated the explosives near a police vehicle. “We are trying to identify who he (the attacker) is and where he came from,” Naqvi said.There was no immediate claim of responsibility, with Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif pinning the blame on “terrorist proxies backed by India”, Pakistan’s longtime foe, without providing evidence.India’s capital Delhi was hit by a car explosion Monday, which killed at least eight people.Sharif accused the Pakistani Taliban militant group and separatists from the country’s Balochistan region, both of whom have carried out attacks mostly targeting the security forces.In Islamabad, lawyer Mohammed Shahzad Butt said there was a “massive blast”.”Everyone started running inside out of panic. I have seen at least five dead bodies lying at the front gate,” he told AFP.Rustam Malik, another lawyer, told AFP he “heard a loud bang at the gate” as he was entering the complex. “It was complete chaos, lawyers and people were running inside the complex. I saw two dead bodies lying on the gate and several cars were on fire,” said Malik.Islamabad has largely been spared major militant violence in recent years, with the last suicide attack occurring in December 2022. The bombing came as Pakistani security forces battled militants who had holed up in a school in northwest Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s Wana district.”There was an attack in Wana as well last night,” Naqvi said. “Three people died in that attack. The attacker involved in that attack is an Afghan. Afghanistan is directly involved in that attack.”

India’s defence minister vowed on Tuesday that those responsible for a deadly car explosion in the heart of the capital that killed at least eight people will face justice.Monday’s blast, if confirmed as an attack, would be the first significant security incident since April 22, when 26 mainly Hindu civilians were killed at the tourist site of Pahalgam in Indian-administered Kashmir, triggering clashes with Pakistan.”The country’s leading investigative agencies are conducting a swift and thorough inquiry into the incident — findings of the investigation will soon be made public,” Defence Minister Rajnath Singh told a conference in New Delhi.”I want to firmly assure the nation that those responsible for this tragedy will be brought to justice, and will not be spared under any circumstances.”Crime scene investigators scoured through the wreckage of a car early on Tuesday, hours after the intense explosion.Senior Delhi police officer Raja Banthia said they were investigating the blast, near the landmark Red Fort in the crowded Old Delhi quarter of the city, under anti-terrorism laws.However, they have not given details on the cause of the explosion, which also wounded at least 19 people when intense flames ripped through other vehicles near the 17th century structure.New Delhi’s deputy chief fire officer AK Malik told AFP shortly after the explosion that eight people had been killed. The Press Trust of India news agency reported on Tuesday that the death toll had risen to 12, although that figure has not been confirmed.Home Minister Amit Shah told reporters late on Monday that security forces were “keeping all angles open”, adding that it was “very difficult to say what caused the incident” until forensic samples had been analysed.At dawn on Tuesday, AFP reporters at the site said police had erected white sheets around the charred remains of vehicles overnight.Security was increased across New Delhi as both forensic and anti-terrorism agencies searched for evidence.Prime Minister Narendra Modi offered his “condolences to those who have lost their loved ones in the blast in Delhi” before leaving for a state visit to neighbouring Bhutan.”I understand the pain of the families. The whole nation stands with them,” he said.The Red Fort is one of India’s most well-known landmarks. Prime ministers address the nation from its ramparts on Independence Day, and its striking features appear on India’s largest banknote.- ‘People were burning’ -Eyewitnesses described to AFP how the car exploded in traffic and how people caught up in the surge of flames were set on fire.”I saw the car explode while it was moving,” said Dharmindra Dhaga, 27.”People were on fire and we tried to save them… Cars and people were burning — people inside the cars were burning,” he said. “I was telling the public to save them, rescue them, and get them out. The public was busy making videos and taking photos.”The emergency ward at Delhi’s LNJP hospital was chaotic after the explosion as wounded people streamed in and doctors rushed to treat them.A woman broke down outside the ward where her husband was being treated. “I can’t bear to see him like that,” she said as her brother tried to console her.New Delhi accused Pakistan of backing the gunmen after the April attack in Pahalgam, a claim denied by Islamabad.That attack sparked deadly clashes between the nuclear-armed arch rivals in May, when more than 70 people were killed in missile, drone and artillery exchanges before a ceasefire was struck.The last significant attack in the Indian capital was in September 2011, when a bomb hidden in a briefcase ripped through a crowd outside New Delhi’s High Court, killing at least 14 people.