Agencies examining half-burnt cloth, polythene bag recovered from explosion site near Israel Embassy
Jan 30, 2021
New Delhi [India], January 30 : A half-burnt cloth and a polythene bag have been recovered from the site of the blast near the Israel Embassy, and is being examined by the authorized agencies, sources in Delhi Police told ANI on Saturday.
"A half-burnt cloth and a polythene bag have been recovered from the explosion site near the Israel Embassy, which is being examined by the authorized agencies. Its link to the incident is yet to be ascertained," the sources said.
"The special cell of Delhi Police is questioning few Iranians living in the national Capital in connection with yesterday's explosion near Israel Embassy. The foreign nationals being questioned include those whose visas have expired," the sources added.
Earlier today, a team of National Security Guard (NSG) also visited the site of Friday's low-explosion near the Israel Embassy to examine characteristics of explosives used in the low-intensity explosion that occurred near the Embassy yesterday.
The sources further informed that a total of 45,000 cell phones were active near the Israeli Embassy when a low-intensity blast was triggered by an Improvised Explosive Device (IED) on Friday evening.
"Investigators who accessed the dump data of the mobile tower found that 45 thousand mobile phones were active in and around the site of the explosion. However, it is not yet clear whether the perpetrators were carrying phones with them at the time of the incident," they added.
On the basis of CCTV footage of the area near the blast site, Delhi Police's special cell team on Saturday have identified the cab driver who dropped off two people near the embassy and are interrogating him. It is yet to be ascertained whether these persons have any role in the explosion.
Meanwhile, the footage of a hidden camera that was found behind a tree near the blast site on Friday has been sent to Delhi Police's cybercrime unit Cyber Prevention, Awareness and Detection Centre for investigation. In the footage retrieved from the camera, the timestamp was of the year 1970 but the content is not clear.
"The investigators are also going through with the nearby CCTV cameras footage to ascertain information," sources added.
The Delhi Police has stepped up security and put up advisories on Dr APJ Abdul Kalam Road in the national capital on Friday evening.
Ron Malka, Ambassador of Israel to India has expressed the possibility of a link between an explosion that occurred in 2012 and the one on Friday, and said, "In 2012, there was a terror attack on Israeli diplomats in Delhi not far from Embassy. It might be connected, there might be a pattern. We're investigating & this is one of the options."
In the IED explosion on Friday evening, no injuries or damage to any property was reported but windows of a few vehicles in the vicinity of the blast were damaged. Officials said that a note addressed to the embassy sealed in an envelope was found at the explosion site.
According to sources in Delhi Police, the miscreants who placed the Improvised explosive device (IED) checked the entire area, before placing it near the Embassy.
The explosion took place not far from Vijay Chowk, where several VVIPS including President Ram Nath Kovind, Prime Minister Narendra Modi was in attendance during the 'Beating Retreat' ceremony.
