Church leaders in India have extended condolences and sorrow over the deaths of at least eight individuals following an explosion near Delhi’s Red Fort on Monday.
The explosion occurred at 6:52pm local time after a slow-moving vehicle stopped by a red traffic light, in a highly congested area of the city. Around 20 individuals were injured, with eight being reported as having died following the blast.
Indian authorities are investigating the blast under a stringent anti-terrorism law and have said that all angles are being probed. They have not named anyone or made any arrests in connection with the explosion.
Church leaders have responded by echoing this desire for justice in the face of tragedy. Fr Savarimuthu Sankar, spokesperson of the Delhi archdiocese, expressed his condolences on behalf of the Catholic Church while expressing his hope that “innocent lives are not lost in mindless violence”.
Catholic lay leader and convener of the ecumenical United Christian Forum, A C Michael, stated he believed it was “the responsibility of the incumbent government to maintain harmony in the country”.
Hours before the blast in Delhi, police in the Jammu and Kashmir federal territory said they had arrested seven men, including two doctors, in connection with a separate anti-terror probe and searches in Kashmir, and in the states of Haryana and Uttar Pradesh that border Delhi.
Police found two pistols, two assault rifles and 2,900 kg of bomb-making material during the raids, a Kashmir police statement said.
"The investigation has revealed a white collar terror ecosystem, involving radicalised professionals and students in contact with foreign handlers, operating from Pakistan and other countries," it said, adding that the men were linked to Pakistan-based militant groups Jaish-e-Mohammad and Ansar Ghazwat-ul-Hind.
Pakistan's foreign office did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
The country awaits further news on the cause and nature of the attack, which some are viewing as a terrorist attack. If this was the case, it would be the first major act of terror to occur in New Delhi since 2011.