The explosion near the Red Fort on Monday evening claimed 13 lives and left several others seriously injured.

For the survivors, the blast has shattered not just bodies, but lives, leaving behind a mix of physical pain, emotional trauma, and financial uncertainty.

Ankush Sharma, a 32-year-old from Shahdara, had come to visit Gauri Shankar Mandir in Chandni Chowk when the blast struck. “What happened has completely changed my brother’s life,” said Ankit Sharma, Ankush’s brother.

Ankush has permanently lost one eye, suffered multiple fractures, undergone plastic surgery, and remains in the ICU.

Rohit, a cab driver and the sole breadwinner of his family, was in the area for a quick meal when the blast hit.

“I was hungry, so I went inside the market to eat something,” he recalled from his hospital bed. “And then the blast happened. I fell to the ground. Everything went dark.”

Rohit supports his parents, his wife, and his eight-year-old daughter. With severe injuries, he now fears how the road to recovery will affect his family’s livelihood.

“My body is not fully functional right now. I don’t know how long it will take to heal. I am the only earning member…everything depends on me,” he said.

Rita, another survivor, had gone to Chandni Chowk to meet a relative. On her way back, she stopped at a watch shop and was crossing the road when the blast occurred.

“She had just stepped forward to cross the road when everything shook. She fell, and the cab driver who came to pick her up was also injured,” said Anju, Rita’s sister. The family is still coming to terms with the incident, thankful that Rita survived.