Delhi Police’s Special Cell Team Visits Blast Site Near Israeli Embassy

An investigation team of Delhi Police's Special Cell today visited the blast site near the Israel’s Embassy in the national capital to collect more evidence as part of its ongoing probe, sources said.

They said the forensic experts have also collected some samples from the crime scene that will ascertain the chemical composition used in the low-intensity improvised explosive device.

Official sources said ball bearings seized from the spot were found scattered on the ground and the impact of the explosion was felt within a radius of 20-25 metres.

The minor blast took place on Friday evening. No one was reported injured.

An envelope addressed to the Israeli Embassy and containing a note was found at the site of the blast, sources had said. A case has been registered and the Delhi Police's Special Cell is investigating the matter.

A 10-member team from the Forensic Science Laboratory had on Friday visited the blast site and collected residue, which included metallic swabs and ball bearings.

Delhi Police Commissioner S.N. Shrivastava too had visited the site in the evening and took stock of the situation.

All materials seized from the spot have been handed over to the investigating officer of the Delhi Police, a source said.

"We are yet to receive the samples collected from the spot. Once the investigating officer submits the samples conclusively, we will be sending them to our explosives team. Only a chemical test will help us identify the exact composition of the samples," the official at the Forensic Science Laboratory said.

The blast took place when President Ram Nath Kovind, Vice President M. Venkaiah Naidu and Prime Minister Narendra Modi were a few kilometres away at the Beating Retreat ceremony at the culmination of the Republic Day celebrations.

Investigators scanned footage retrieved from CCTV cameras installed nearby and spotted a suspicious vehicle that was near the embassy just before the explosion, sources said.

The explosion took place on a day when India and Israel marked the completion of the 29th anniversary of establishment of their diplomatic relations.