Red Fort blast toll rises to at least 11: 35-year-old man, battling for life since Monday, dies

A35-year-old adult male maimed in mon’s blare at new delhi’s iconic Red Fort succumbed to his injuries on Thursday, taking the official death toll to at least 11, officials at Lok Nayak Hospital said.Hospital officials identified the deceased as Bilal, who was brought in on Monday night with severe burn and blast injuries.“He was in critical condition when admitted, with nearly 70% burns and multiple organ damage. He underwent surgery for a penetrating abdominal injury on Wednesday but succumbed on Thursday morning,” said an official from the hospital, requesting anonymity.The official added that no relatives or acquaintances had come forwardto claim the body, nor did anyone turn up to enquire about his condition afterhe was hospitalised. “No family member or friend has enquired about him so far. His body has been preserved in the mortuary, and we will coordinate with police before taking further action,” the official cited above said.With Bilal’s death, the total toll from the November 10 explosion has risen to at least 11. Hospital staff said the number could still go up, as several unidentified human remains recovered from the blast site are under examination. “Some remains brought to the hospital appear to belong to two or three different people,” said a senior hospital official.Meanwhile, preliminary post-mortem findings have revealed that most victims suffered grievous internal and external injuries, including head trauma and ruptured organs, said another official at Lok Nayak Hospital, where nearly all the casualties were rushed.“So far, nine post-mortems have been conducted – five were done on Monday night itself, two were performed on Tuesday, and two on Wednesday,” said a senior doctor familiar with the reports.The doctor added that the blast impact caused extensive internal damage. “Most victims had torn eardrums, ruptured lungs and intestines, and deep wounds on the upper body. In such explosions, death is usually caused by the severe internal injuries rather than external trauma,” the official said.Doctors clarified that no pellet marks were found on any of the victims’ bodies or clothing, suggesting that the explosion was caused by high-impact pressure rather than shrapnel. “It has not yet been confirmed whether any explosive chemical residue was present on the victims. Samples have been sent to the Forensic Science Laboratory (FSL), and the reports are expected by Monday,” the official said.