At least eight people were killed and 24 injured when a high-intensity explosion ripped through a car parked near Red Fort in the Indian capital Delhi on Monday evening, officials confirmed.

The blast occurred around 7:00pm (local time) near Gate No 1 of the Red Fort Metro Station at the Subhash Marg traffic signal, an area crowded with pedestrians. The injured were rushed to a nearby state-run hospital.

The explosion triggered a fire that quickly spread to surrounding vehicles. A fire department official said, "Six cars, two e-rickshaws, and one autorickshaw were gutted in the fire."

Videos shared by the Chandni Chowk Traders' Association showed the magnitude of the blast, with bodies lying on vehicles and the road. 

Eyewitnesses reported limbs scattered near the site. Witnesses said the blast shattered the windows of vehicles parked several kilometres away.

Sanjay Bhargaw, president of the Chandni Chowk Traders' Association, said his shop, located about 800 metres away, shook from the impact. "There was chaos in the market as people started running," he recounted.

Mentioning that the blast originated in a Hyundai i20 car, Indian Home Minister Amit Shah assured that the government would conduct a thorough investigation, taking all possibilities into account. Shah added that teams from the National Security Guard (NSG), National Investigation Agency (NIA), and forensic officials had already begun probing the site. 

"Orders have been given to examine all nearby CCTV cameras," he added.

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi condoled the loss of lives and said he had reviewed the situation with Shah and other officials.

Authorities have sounded a high alert in Bihar, where the second and final phase of assembly elections is scheduled for November 11. Alerts were also issued in Uttarakhand, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, and Maharashtra.