"Concerned Agencies Looking Into Matter": Centre On Blast Near Israel Embassy In Delhi

The concerned agencies are looking into the blast that happened near the Israel Embassy in Delhi on December 26, Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) official spokesperson Arindam Bagchi said on Friday.

He said that the National Investigation Agency will get a better sense after the investigation will be completed. Notably, the National Investigation Agency (NIA) has been roped in to investigate the incident.

ALSO READ | 2021 And 2023 Blasts Near Israel Embassy Share Chilling Similarities

On being asked about the attack near the Israel Embassy in Delhi, Arindam Bagchi said, "I don't think I'm the appropriate person to respond on this. The concerned agencies are looking into the matter. You've seen the media report. They've also, I think, briefed the media on that. Let them finish their investigations. We will have a better sense."

"I certainly am not aware of anything that you mentioned about blaming particular entities or countries. Let's defer to them till they come out with some more definitive things. I'm not going to comment on what other countries might be," he added.

His statement comes after Delhi Police on Tuesday received a call that a 'blast' was heard near the Israel Embassy in the Chanakyapuri area, but officials said that nothing as such was found at the spot of the incident.

The call was received by the Delhi Fire Services at around 6 pm. Soon, the Delhi police crime unit along with fire services and bomb disposal squad reached the spot. Experts from the Forensic Science Laboratory (FSL) team also reached the spot.

"The sound of a blast was heard by a security guard standing there," FSL sources had said. Paramilitary forces have been deployed outside the Israeli Embassy in Delhi.

A team of NIA officials, along with the Delhi Special Cell and Dog Squad, reached the Israeli Embassy on Wednesday morning and initiated a probe into the alleged 'blast' call incident.

Meanwhile, Delhi police have zeroed in on two 'suspects' after examining the CCTV footage of the area. Officials have however not confirmed the duo's involvement in the same, sources said on Wednesday. According to sources, two persons roaming near the Israel embassy on Tuesday evening have emerged as suspects in the alleged 'blast' incident.

"Two persons are seen roaming in the area in CCTV footage. Their role in the 'blast' call incident is not yet clear. We are trying to ascertain their identity and what were they doing in the area at the time of the call. Things will become clear only after their questioning," they said.

The police are examining CCTVs of nearby areas to find out as to how the two suspects reached there and which route they took. They are also trying to ascertain the identity of the two suspects.

A sealed report of the blast near the Israel embassy will be handed over to the Delhi Police, informed top officials of the NSG bomb squad team. According to Delhi police, the component of the blast was yet to be ascertained and therefore, they have been waiting for forensic reports to come.

The samples from the leaves and soil from the spot were collected by the forensic experts from the National Security Group (NSG) and Delhi Police on Wednesday.

The Delhi police has launched a search operation in the whole area, in which, the people who passed the spot just before the incident, were interrogated. Apart from this, all the taxi and auto drivers who had passed Prithvi Raj Road and Abdul Kalam Road were also interrogated thoroughly.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)