Delhi IED bomb had 1.5-3 kgs explosives; trigger could have been mobile phone or clock

UPDATE:

A person named Anupam had informed the Delhi Police Control Room about the unclaimed bag at 10:19. Anupam's scooty was standing at the same place where the explosives plant was done. Anupam is a resident of New Ashok Nagar area and he had come to collect flowers from Phool Mandi. Anupam daily comes to the flower market to collect flowers.

Ahead of the 2022 Republic Day celebrations, the Delhi Police recovered an IED from the Ghazipur flower market on Friday. The police and the bomb disposal squad were rushed to control the situation. The National Security Guard (NSG) carried out a controlled blast after cordoning off the area. 

According to the sources, during the prelim assessment of the IED, around 1.5 kg of explosive was retrieved. However, the explosive quantity could go up to 3 kg. In the initial probe, the nitrate mix is ​​suspected to be explosive but traces of ammonium nitrate were also found, sources said.

It is being suspected that a triggering device could be a watch or a clock. "It is being said that the motive behind keeping such large quantity of explosive was to carry out maximum damage to life and property," sources added. Meanwhile, CCTV footage of the flower market and the nearby areas is being scanned. The NSG has also submitted a preliminary assessment to the Delhi police.

A CCTV was installed at the main gate of Ghazipur Phool Mandi where the IED was kept but the focus of the camera was not on the spot, which means that the person who planted the bomb was aware of the place and planted it in such a place where his face is not captured on camera, sources said.

IED recovered from Ghazipur flower market

Delhi Commissioner of Police Rakesh Asthana confirmed around 1.40 pm that the bag containing an IED was defused by the bomb disposal squad. Minutes after the incident, a case was registered in the Delhi Police Special Cell under provisions of the Explosive Substances Act.

"A bomb disposal squad of NSG has defused the IED recovered from Ghazipur. Samples of the IED have been collected and the NSG team will later submit a report of the chemical component used to assemble the explosive," the NSG official in a statement.

The IED recovery comes days ahead of Republic Day. In view of the recent surge in COVID-19 cases, the Republic Day celebrations will take place with strict restrictions with the possibility of very few visitors permitted to witness the parade. 

Image: Republic, ANI