NIA hunts two suspects for blast near Israel embassy, releases video | Latest News India - Hindustan Times
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NIA hunts two suspects for blast near Israel embassy, releases video

ByNeeraj Chauhan | Edited by Arpan Rai, New Delhi
Jun 15, 2021 06:46 PM IST

NIA has released visuals of two men suspected to be involved in a blast near the Israel Embassy in Delhi in January this year.

The National Investigation Agency (NIA) on Tuesday released visuals of two men suspected to be involved in a blast near the Israel Embassy in Delhi in January this year.

NIA has released a video and images from a CCTV footage near the spot of explosion. Two suspected men are seen roaming in the area.(HT Photo)
NIA has released a video and images from a CCTV footage near the spot of explosion. Two suspected men are seen roaming in the area.(HT Photo)

Placing a reward worth 10 lakh for information leading to the arrest of each suspect, the investigative agency said it is seeking help to identify and arrest the two individuals seen to be roaming near the spot on the day of the attack.

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According to the police, the low-intensity improvised device went off around 5pm near 5, APJ Abdul Kalam Road near Jindal House. No injury to any person and nor any damage to property was witnessed except window panes of three vehicles parked nearby, officials said.

Also read | Iran guided Israeli embassy blast through local module, upsets India: Officials

The minor explosion coincided with the anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic ties between India and Israel on January 29, 1992.

The blast caused by a "very low-intensity improvised device" shattered the windscreens of three cars in the area, Delhi Police officials said.


Immediately after the explosion, the police checked the CCTV cameras in the vicinity to ascertain the sequence of events, officials said. Forensic experts of Delhi Police are at the spot to lift the samples of the explosive.

Preliminary investigations from February had revealed no connection with a suspicious package found outside the Israeli embassy in Paris on the same day.

Forensic experts had ruled out any traces of PETN (pentaerythritol tetranitrate) in the Improvised Explosive Device (IED), which was fitted in a beverage can and was attached with a tiny timer before it was placed near a palm tree on the pavement at Abdul Kalam Road. “Experts have opined that the PETN, even in small amounts, would have caused much bigger impact at the blast site,” said an officer, requesting anonymity.

Also read: Govt upgrades probe into Israel embassy blast after Iran link. NIA moves in

Unfortunately for agencies, there is no eyewitness who saw anyone placing the IED near the pavement.

In its First Information Report (FIR), reviewed by HT, the probe agency said “the blast caused a crater near the palm tree”.

According to the FIR, “Information was received at 5.20 pm in the office of Special Cell (Delhi Police) that a blast has occurred nearby. On the visit of the Special Cell Inspector, a post blast crime scene was found near Jindal House, Bungalow Number 5, Dr A P J Abdul Kalam Road. A crater due to an IED blast was found near the palm tree on the pavement. Due to the impact of the explosion, windows of three cars (Hyundai Creta, Ford Ecosport and Maruti WagonR), which were parked on the opposite side of the road, were found shattered.”

"Several IED components were found scattered nearby the explosion spot. An envelope folded inside a closed poly pack was also found at the spot," it added.

The government termed it a terrorist act and handed over the probe to NIA due to “international implications”.

Agencies are confident about Iranian hand the terror attack – primarily due to three reasons – “29th anniversary of India-Israel’s diplomatic relation; letter left at the site seeking to avenge the killings Iran Quds Commander Qassem Soleimani, and Abu Mehdhi Al Muhandis, who were killed in a US drone attack in January 2020, and Iranian nuclear physicist Dr Mohsen Fakhrizadeh, who died in a car bomb attack in Iran in November 2020; and Iran-Israel’s known bitter relations, “ as explained by a second officer cited above.

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