With initial probe in blast near Israeli Embassy leading to Iranian link, govt set to hand over inquiry to NIA

Mukesh Ranjan

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, January 30

With the initial investigations in the blast near Israeli Embassy leading to Iranian link, the government is set to hand over the probe to the National Investigation Agency (NIA).

Delhi Police sources say explosives and other materials used in the low-intensity IED were locally sourced.

They say the police with the help of central agencies, including IB and immigration authorities, are trying to locate the Iranian nationals who have come to India in the past one month.

Sources say Union Home Minister Amit Shah has cancelled his  two-day visit to West Bengal.

Police sources say the envelope that was found at the blast site has revealed the Iranian connection to the blast, as it claimed it was a trailer and their target is Israeli installations in India.

Sources also confirm that security has been beefed up at all places across the country having Israeli links.

An investigation team of Delhi Police’s Special Cell had earlier in the day visited the site near the embassy to collect more evidence as part of its ongoing probe, sources said, adding that it managed to get access to footage from some of the CCTV cameras in the area.

“We have recovered some CCTV footage but have not obtained anything concrete yet as most of the CCTV cameras in the area near the embassy are non-functional,” an official source said.

Earlier, footage retrieved from CCTV cameras showed a vehicle moving suspiciously near the embassy just before the explosion, sources said.

Another source said that forensic experts have also collected some samples from the crime scene that will ascertain the chemical composition used in the low-intensity improvised explosive device (IED).

Official sources said ball bearings seized from the spot were found scattered on the ground and the impact of the explosion was felt within a radius of 20-25 metres.

The minor blast took place on Friday evening in a high-security zone of the national capital. No one was injured. — with PTI