A controlled explosion was carried out by the teams on-site to detonate the bomb.
A 3-kg bomb, aimed at "causing maximum damage", was found in an abandoned bag left at a busy flower market in east Delhi this morning. A controlled explosion was carried out by the police to defuse the bomb planted at the Ghazipur market, which usually draws huge crowds.
The police suspect it was a terror attempt ahead of the January 26 Republic Day celebrations.
An eight-foot pit was dug to carry out the controlled blast at the market located near the border between Delhi and Uttar Pradesh. Visual show a loud blast and smoke rising near the market, which had been cleared out and cordoned off.
#WATCH | Delhi: National Security Guard (NSG) carries out a controlled explosion of the IED found at East Delhi's Ghazipur Flower Market pic.twitter.com/tV0PMYxSLF
— ANI (@ANI) January 14, 2022
The Improvised Explosive Device (IED) or crude bomb was kept inside a bag left by a customer, Delhi Police Commissioner Rakesh Asthana told NDTV.
The man went to the market around 9.30 am on a scooty, ostensibly to buy flowers from a shop.
The abandoned scooty with the bag were spotted a while later and the flower seller, suspecting something wrong, called the police.
Officers of the Delhi Police Special Cell arrived and blocked access to the market as the bomb disposal squad tackled the explosive.
The bomb was planted at a time it would have caused maximum damage, Delhi Police said. A timer was attached to it.
Thousands of small farmers, shopkeepers and horticulturists gather at the market in the morning.
"Initial examination shows that the explosive is a nitrate and RDX mix. The triggering device could be a clock or a mobile phone," police sources said.
CCTV footage is being scanned for suspects.
A bomb in the crowded market has raised serious security concerns ahead of Republic Day celebrations. The police are also investigating whether there is any link to the elections in neighbouring UP in February-March.