In a significant development in the investigation of the blast near the Israeli Embassy, the Delhi Police registered an FIR against unidentified persons on 30th December 2023. The blast took place in the Israeli Embassy in New Delhi on 26th December 2023. The FIR is filed under Section 3 of the Explosive Substances Act at the Tughlaq Road police station.
The police has interrogated six suspects and 14 auto drivers to date. A meticulous examination of the routes from Jamia to the Israeli embassy is underway, involving the scrutiny of footage from approximately 150 CCTVs. The focus of suspicion has been drawn to a person of tall stature, flagged as behaving suspiciously in the CCTV footage.
The technical team of the Delhi Police has been actively analysing dump data, leading to the identification of over 100 suspicious phone numbers. Efforts are underway to glean more information about these numbers, some of which were recently deactivated.
Samples of leaves and soil from the blast site were collected by forensic experts from the National Security Guard (NSG) and the Delhi Police. The NSG bomb squad team is also expected to submit a detailed sealed report to the Delhi Police, which would provide critical insights into the case.
Eyewitness accounts have been pivotal in shaping the investigation. A security official stationed near the embassy vividly recalled the incident, stating, “I heard a loud noise at around 5 p.m. The noise was similar to a tyre burst. I also saw smoke near a tree.”
Moreover, two individuals were initially singled out as suspects based on CCTV footage, but their involvement in the incident remains unconfirmed. The investigation team, which includes the Delhi Police, the Special Cell, the Dog Squad, and officials from the NIA, continues to probe various angles to establish a concrete link to the blast.
The incident, which fortunately did not result in any injuries, has drawn parallels with a similar explosion near the embassy in 2021. In light of this and ongoing tensions between Israel and Hamas, security measures around the Israeli embassy have been significantly heightened.
Israel’s Deputy Ambassador to India, Ohad Nakash Kaynar, assured the safety of embassy personnel, saying, “All our workers are safe, and all our diplomats are safe. Our security teams are working in full cooperation with the local Delhi security and they will investigate the matter further.”
