NEW DELHI: Eight months after striking at Jama Masjid, terror returned to the capital but thankfully failed to leave a lethal impact. A fully-loaded ammonium nitrate bomb went off partially in the parking lot outside the lawyers' canteen at the Delhi High Court on Wednesday afternoon, causing no casualties except three damaged cars.
Officials said the bomb, which was powerful enough for an impact range of 70-80 metres, probably malfunctioned in the afternoon heat. It had 2kg of explosive ammonium nitrate, shrapnel and other deadly chemicals aimed at maximizing damage.
"It was not a crude bomb. It was a lethal device laden with heavy explosive to cause maximum damage," a police source said. Investigators suspect that the bomber placed the bag at the site minutes before the explosion.
The bomb went off around 1.15pm, a few metres away from Gate 7 of the high court premises near the lawyers' canteen at a time when it was teeming with 50 to 60 people. The explosion triggered panic in the complex and the police immediately combed the area for more explosives. National Security Guards (NSG) were called for forensic examination of the explosive. No terrorist outfit claimed responsibility for the blast but agencies are suspect Indian Mujahideen (IM) to be behind it.
The outfit had the Delhi High Court on its hit list two years ago and it uses ammonium nitrate in its bombs.
"We are trying to ascertain whether it is an explosion. The residue has been sent for forensic analysis," U K Bansal, Secretary (Internal Security) in Union home ministry, said.
Bansal said initially an explosive vapour device detector was used to analyze the chemical composition of the explosive but it did not yield results. Later, forensic teams from Delhi and NSG were called in to analyze the substance, he said.
"We found nails at the site but there was not much damage. At the moment, we can't say if it was meant to be a high intensity explosion or not. There was minimal damage to the cars and no glass was shattered," Police Commissioner B K Gupta told TOI.
"As yet, no agency had claimed responsibility for the incident. No eyewitness has come forward to report having seen any person leave the bag at the site," Gupta added.
The bomb, kept in small black rexine bag, was wrapped in a box with a detonator. Acid was probably used to trigger the blast. Sources said bomb was kept near the wall of lawyers' canteen under the right front wheel of a silver Ford Figo car belonging to advocate Rajat Jain.
The bomb was probably placed minutes before it went off, experts said. The explosion caused a fire in the Figo's engine. "It was massive. I heard a loud sound and felt the vibration right behind me. There was smoke all over and something white scattered on the glass walls of the canteen," said an eyewitness, Anuj Sharma.
The impact was strong enough to scatter traces of ammonium nitrate in a radius of 15-20 metres. Apart from Rajat Jain's car, a Maruti Swift and a Swift Desire were also damaged. Jain, an HC lawyer, was given a clean chit by the police after questioning. "He has nothing to do with the incident," an officer said.
After receiving a call around 1.27pm, the Delhi Police brass, including commissioner Gupta and special cell teams, reached the spot. The area was barricaded as forensic experts from CFSL picked up blast material including remains of the black travel bag, polythene, pieces of a box, ammonium nitrate traces, a battery, three blue wires, nails and a detonator. An NSG team reached the spot around 3.45pm after which they also checked the cars using sophisticated gadgets and collected traces of explosive from the spot.
Special commissioner of police (law and order) Dharmendra Kumar said, "Nobody was injured in the incident. It was a minor explosion". A case under sections 3 and 4 of the explosives Act has been registered with the special cell and teams have been asked to look for suspects in the case. After the explosion, Justices Sanjay Kishan Kaul and G S Sistani visited the spot and met the police commissioner, who reportedly told them that a report on the incident will be sent to the court. Delhi Police has also increased security around the court.
Wednesday's blast was the second in the last nine months. On September 19, 2010, Taiwanese tourists were shot at near Jama Masjid, followed quickly by a car at the site. Indian Mujahideen had claimed responsibility for the strike.
After the September 13, 2008 blasts — the first by Indian Mujahideen — which had killed 26 people and injured around 70, the city has witnessed several minor explosions. Fifteen days after the September 13 strikes, a low intensity blast killed a girl in Mehrauli.
Officials said the bomb, which was powerful enough for an impact range of 70-80 metres, probably malfunctioned in the afternoon heat. It had 2kg of explosive ammonium nitrate, shrapnel and other deadly chemicals aimed at maximizing damage.
"It was not a crude bomb. It was a lethal device laden with heavy explosive to cause maximum damage," a police source said. Investigators suspect that the bomber placed the bag at the site minutes before the explosion.
The bomb went off around 1.15pm, a few metres away from Gate 7 of the high court premises near the lawyers' canteen at a time when it was teeming with 50 to 60 people. The explosion triggered panic in the complex and the police immediately combed the area for more explosives. National Security Guards (NSG) were called for forensic examination of the explosive. No terrorist outfit claimed responsibility for the blast but agencies are suspect Indian Mujahideen (IM) to be behind it.
The outfit had the Delhi High Court on its hit list two years ago and it uses ammonium nitrate in its bombs.
"We are trying to ascertain whether it is an explosion. The residue has been sent for forensic analysis," U K Bansal, Secretary (Internal Security) in Union home ministry, said.
Bansal said initially an explosive vapour device detector was used to analyze the chemical composition of the explosive but it did not yield results. Later, forensic teams from Delhi and NSG were called in to analyze the substance, he said.
"We found nails at the site but there was not much damage. At the moment, we can't say if it was meant to be a high intensity explosion or not. There was minimal damage to the cars and no glass was shattered," Police Commissioner B K Gupta told TOI.
"As yet, no agency had claimed responsibility for the incident. No eyewitness has come forward to report having seen any person leave the bag at the site," Gupta added.
The bomb, kept in small black rexine bag, was wrapped in a box with a detonator. Acid was probably used to trigger the blast. Sources said bomb was kept near the wall of lawyers' canteen under the right front wheel of a silver Ford Figo car belonging to advocate Rajat Jain.
The bomb was probably placed minutes before it went off, experts said. The explosion caused a fire in the Figo's engine. "It was massive. I heard a loud sound and felt the vibration right behind me. There was smoke all over and something white scattered on the glass walls of the canteen," said an eyewitness, Anuj Sharma.
The impact was strong enough to scatter traces of ammonium nitrate in a radius of 15-20 metres. Apart from Rajat Jain's car, a Maruti Swift and a Swift Desire were also damaged. Jain, an HC lawyer, was given a clean chit by the police after questioning. "He has nothing to do with the incident," an officer said.
After receiving a call around 1.27pm, the Delhi Police brass, including commissioner Gupta and special cell teams, reached the spot. The area was barricaded as forensic experts from CFSL picked up blast material including remains of the black travel bag, polythene, pieces of a box, ammonium nitrate traces, a battery, three blue wires, nails and a detonator. An NSG team reached the spot around 3.45pm after which they also checked the cars using sophisticated gadgets and collected traces of explosive from the spot.
Special commissioner of police (law and order) Dharmendra Kumar said, "Nobody was injured in the incident. It was a minor explosion". A case under sections 3 and 4 of the explosives Act has been registered with the special cell and teams have been asked to look for suspects in the case. After the explosion, Justices Sanjay Kishan Kaul and G S Sistani visited the spot and met the police commissioner, who reportedly told them that a report on the incident will be sent to the court. Delhi Police has also increased security around the court.
Wednesday's blast was the second in the last nine months. On September 19, 2010, Taiwanese tourists were shot at near Jama Masjid, followed quickly by a car at the site. Indian Mujahideen had claimed responsibility for the strike.
After the September 13, 2008 blasts — the first by Indian Mujahideen — which had killed 26 people and injured around 70, the city has witnessed several minor explosions. Fifteen days after the September 13 strikes, a low intensity blast killed a girl in Mehrauli.
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