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Three days after a low-intensity blast took place near the Israel Embassy, the Delhi Police Friday registered an FIR against unknown persons. Their probe, however, appears to have hit a dead end as they have been unable to find new CCTV footage of their prime suspect — a man who “couldn’t speak Hindi properly” and “boarded an auto from Jamia Nagar Metro Station”. They are now preparing his sketch based on a description provided by two auto drivers.
A senior police officer said the FIR has been registered under Section 3 of the Explosive Substances Act (punishment for causing an explosion likely to endanger life or property) at Tughlak Road police station on a complaint by a police personnel.
Recounting the events of that day, a senior officer said there were three security personnel, including two Israeli nationals, stationed outside the embassy. Minutes before the blast, they headed towards Khan Market, but rushed back when they heard the sound of an explosion, the officer said. “They informed a PCR van stationed outside and a police personnel made a PCR call about an explosion being heard from behind the embassy,” the officer said.
The fire department and Special Cell were also informed, and senior officers reached the spot, where an “abusive” threat letter from a previously unknown group, Sir Allah Resistance, addressed “to the Israel Embassy ambassador” was found.
During investigation, police scanned CCTV cameras installed in the area and zeroed in on 12 people. “Police found a dozen people had visited the crime scene in the hours leading up to the blast and efforts began to try and trace all of them. This included civil department labourers who were working at the spot, a porter, and a couple, all of whom were questioned and eventually given a clean chit. Police then zeroed in on a man seen coming out of an autorickshaw around 2.30 pm,” said a source.
Police tracked the auto driver, who told them the man had approached him while he was waiting outside Jamia Nagar Metro station, and he struck a deal for Rs 150. “According to the driver, the man was not able to speak Hindi properly, and he asked the driver to drop him at Prithviraj Road,” said the source, adding that police found that the man, within three-four minutes of deboarding, got into another auto and left for Kartavya Path.
“After scanning more CCTV cameras in the New Delhi district area, police found new footage, showing the suspect was wearing a blue jacket. Police have started making a sketch of the suspect with the help of description provided by two auto-rickshaw drivers,” the source said.
Meanwhile, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) Friday said relevant agencies were looking into it. “The agencies concerned are looking into the matter… Let them finish their investigations,” MEA spokesperson Arindam Bagchi said.
Responding to a question at the MEA’s weekly media briefing about Israel suggesting a possibility of Iran’s involvement in the blast, he said, “I certainly am not aware of anything that you mentioned about blaming particular entities or countries… I am not going to comment on what other countries might be saying.”
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