IED found outside busy Delhi market, timer was set for 11.40 am

Highly placed sources told The Indian Express that they found 3 kg of explosives, including RDX and ammonium nitrate, a timer device, an electric detonator and some shrapnel from inside the bag.

“The explosive was kept in a rectangular iron box and concealed in a black and red backpack. It was a timer bomb set to 11.40 am. But alert passersby informed Delhi Police in time and it was defused,” said a source.

According to Delhi Police, they first received a PCR call at 10.19 am from a man identified as Anupam Kumar, who came to the flower market on his two-wheeler.

“He found a bag lying near the two-wheeler, which was parked at the gate, and he asked the local shopkeeper about it. Failing to receive a satisfactory reply, he made a call to the PCR and a team immediately reached the spot. They cordoned off the area and alerted other agencies, including NSG and special cell. A fire tender, the bomb squad and sniffer dogs also arrived at the spot,” a senior police officer said.

After reaching the spot, bomb detection and disposal experts first examined the bag.

“They found that it contained an IED and decided to dispose of it. A heavy metal container was brought in. The bomb disposal squad, with help from local police, dug an approximately 8-foot-deep ditch in an open ground, where the bag carrying the IED was disposed. The NSG conducted a controlled explosion of the IED around 1.30 pm,” the officer said.

An FIR has been registered at the Special Cell police station and officers are checking CCTV footage to gather clues.

“Several teams of the New Delhi range of Special Cell are working on it. Prime facie, it appears that the accused had done a recce before planting the IED outside the gate,” an officer said.

Pawan Kumar Pandey, who has a tea stall outside the flower market, said: “The bag was first noticed by a man who came into my shop after parking his two-wheeler. He asked me about it, and later informed the police. I heard a loud explosion when it was destroyed.”

His wife Savita said, “There was heavy rush today due to the (Makar Sankranti) festival. All shopkeepers, rickshaw pullers, etc were asked to vacate the area. We will have to keep our shops shut till police give us permission to restart business.”