Delhi blast victims report hearing damage, more injuries amidst identification of bodies

Several survivors of the powerful car bomb blast near Delhi’s Red Fort are reporting severe hearing impairments and pain in their ears, doctors treating them said on Thursday.

Of the 13 people killed in Monday evening’s explosion, only eight have been formally identified so far, with several bodies arriving dismembered. The area remains sealed as investigation teams continue forensic examination.

Loknayak Jaiprakash Hospital is treating many of the injured across departments. According to a senior official, the emergency wing currently has 12 patients: six in the isolation ward, four in the ICU, four in neurosurgery and one in the trauma centre.

Among the injured, 28-year-old Md Safwan from Chennai has intense ear pain, abrasions and swelling in his leg. Another patient, 28-year-old Shiva Jaiswal from Uttar Pradesh, has hearing loss in both ears, burns on his arm and face, and multiple abrasions.

Dr Devinder Rai, senior consultant, ENT, Sir Ganga Ram Hospital, said the impact of such high-intensity blasts varies with proximity and individual susceptibility.

“Some people have what we call ‘soft ears’, making them more prone to noise-induced trauma. Effects can range from temporary hearing loss to permanent impairment or tinnitus,” he said.

The explosion tore through a slow-moving car near Red Fort around 6.52 pm on Monday, killing 13 (official toll) and injuring at least 27. The blast’s force ruptured nearby vehicles and shattered windows several metres away.

Hospital records show that among the unidentified dead, one body appears to be of a man aged around 40, another around 58. Three bodies and a severed body part were brought in late on Monday night.

With PTI inputs