The tragic Red Fort blast in Delhi has left the nation in shock, claiming innocent lives and injuring several others in one of the capital’s deadliest incidents in recent years. As authorities continue to investigate the cause of the explosion, stories of the victims have begun to emerge, tales of ordinary people going about their daily lives before tragedy struck. From daily wage workers to small business owners, the blast has robbed families of their primary earners, leaving behind grief and uncertainty. Here is the information on the victims.
Amar Kataria (age 34) - pharmaceutical business owner, who ran a chemist shop in Chandni Chowk, Delhi was leaving work to join his family for a dinner when the blast took his life. He was identified by tattoos on his arm dedicated to his parents and his wife. He has left a 3-year-old son behind.
Ashok Kumar (34) - DTC bus conductor from Amroha, UP, lived in Delhi's Jagatpur with his wife and four children. He was a sole earner for family of eight. A Delhi Transport Corporation employee, his bus route usually involves Old Delhi, was in the area to meet Lokesh Kumar Gupta, also from Amroha, when tragedy struck.
Lokesh Kumar Agarwal (58) - a fertiliser dealer from Hasanpur, Amroha, UP, friend of Ashok Kumar had visited his mother-in-law at Sir Ganga Ram Hospital earlier that day and was meeting Ashok Kumar for lunch.
Dinesh Kumar Mishra (32) - from Ganeshpur village, Shravasti district; UP worked at a printing press for a card shop in Delhi’s Chawri Bazar to support wife and three children.
Pankaj Saini (22-23) - Ola driver from Samastipur, Bihar; youngest among known victims was dropping a passenger at the area when the blast happened. He lived in Ghevra, Kanjhawala, with his ailing father, Ram Balak, who suffers from asthma and heart disease. Pankaj took charge of the household after quitting studies after Class XII. He drove a WagonR cab to support his family and fund his brother’s education.
Mohammad Nauman Ansari (23) - from Shamli, Uttar Pradesh, was the main support for his family. After his elder brother Farman’s kidney failure, Nauman managed both medical expenses and household needs by running a cosmetics shop. His father, Imran, works as a tile mason, and the family includes his mother, brother, and four sisters. On Monday, Nauman came to Delhi and went to Sadar Bazaar and Kinari Bazaar with his cousin Aman to buy supplies. That was when the explosion occurred. Aman was severely injured, while Nauman lost his life.
Mohammad Jumman (35) - e-rickshaw driver was in the location when the blast happened. The family located the GPS on his E-rickshaw to the site when he became unavailable on phone. He has left behind a differently abled wife and three children.
Mohseen - another e-rickshaw puller in Chandni Chowk, died in the explosion while working near the site. He had moved from Meerut to Delhi for work. His friend Ifthikhar, who also worked in the area, confirmed the news after finding Mohseen’s rickshaw at the scene. He was the only breadwinner for his wife and two children.
Additional victims:
Mohd Javed (45)
Ramesh Kumar (34)
Arif Ali (28)
Renu Sharma (41)
Karan Singh (30)
Rukhsana Begum (52)
Deepak Mishra (25)
Many of them were bystanders or workers passing through the busy Chandni Chowk area at the time. Authorities have expressed concern that the death toll may rise.
The Delhi government has announced an ex gratia of ₹10 lakh for families of the deceased and ₹2 lakh for the injured. As the city mourns, families of the victims continue to grapple with the sudden loss of loved ones who were the backbone of their homes. Behind every name on the list lies a story of resilience, sacrifice, dreams cut short and a somber reminder of how swiftly ordinary lives can be upended by tragedy.
(Rh/TL/MSM)