India celebrates its Republic day every year on January26. The responsibility of making tight security arrangements falls on thepolice, central agencies including intelligence agencies. Moreover, governmentis also responsible for framing security arrangements.
A low intensity explosion occurred near the IsraelEmbassy in the national capital on Friday. Delhi Police said that the explosiontook place at the roadside of 5 Aurangzeb Road in the heart of the city. Firebrigade, SWAT and forensic teams rushed to the spot soon after the incident thattook place at around 5 pm. "We are looking into the matter. Multiplepolice teams have been rushed to the spot. It is yet to be ascertained the kindof material that exploded," said a senior police officer.
As per fire department information, they received the call at 5.11 pm, andthree fire tenders were pressed into service. The window panes of a vehicleparked nearby were damaged. Delhi Police Special Cell has also obtained a CCTVfootage showing a car dropping off two persons who walk towards the spot nearthe Israel Embassy where a minor explosion took place on Friday evening.
Intelligence Bureau chief Arvind Kumar and Delhi PoliceCommissioner S.N. Shrivastava had briefed Union Home Minister Amit Shah aboutthe 'low-intensity blast' that took place in the heart of the national capitalon Friday. "The investigation into the blast is being monitored. Nothingcan be ruled about as of now," said a senior IB official.
The blast took place even as there was heightened security in the area owing tothe Beating Retreat ceremony, which culminates the four-day-long Republic Daycelebrations at Vijay Chowk. On February 13, 2012, a terror attack occurred inDelhi when a sticky bomb was placed on the car of Tal Yehoshua Koren, the wifeof the Israeli diplomat, in which she had received injuries. Delhi Police hadthen arrested journalist Syed Mohammad Ahmad Kazmi for aiding bike-bornebombers who are yet to be caught.
The blast put questions on the security arrangements inthe capital city and in the area where usually high security is maintained,Jaish-ul-Hind has claimed responsibility for the blast now. The CSIF has put onalert all the airports, nuclear and aerospace stations, Delhi metro and uniongovernment buildings among others. Central intelligence agencies have found achat on Telegram where Jaish-ul-Hind has claimed responsibility in a suspectedchannel on the platform.
The team of investigators from Israel could arrive in NewDelhi as early as Saturday to assist Indian agencies in the probe over theblast in which some cars were damaged in the high-security zone of Lutyens'Delhi.
Read More: Minor IED blast near Israel embassy in Delhi, airports onalert
The driver of the vehicle has been traced and sketches of the two people arebeing prepared. A probe has been initiated to ascertain their involvement inthe blast. A letter has also been recovered from the site of blast thatmentions the explosion was just a "trailer". Sources said that theletter also mentions Iran's General Qasem Soleimani and top nuclear scientistMohsen Fakhrizadeh as "martyrs".
Both were assassinated last year. Soleimani was killed near the BaghdadInternational Airport in a drone strike ordered by then US President DonaldTrump on January 3. Friday's blast took place 1.4 km from Vijay Chowk, wherethe President and Prime Minister and other senior members of the government hadassembled for the Beating Retreat ceremony. A high alert has been sounded inthe capital and security at the airport and other strategic locations have beenintensified.
The situation remains tense because earlier on January26, when the farmers tractor parade run amok, one section of the farmersentered Red fort and hoisted two of their flag on Republic day. However, it isa known fact that police usually makes tight security arrangements and therecan never be any room of mistake or lapses because one wrong strategy or loosearrangement can lead to any untoward situation because India faces threat from Pakistan.Infiltrators try to enter the border every day through India's borders withPakistan. Terror threats are also common.
There is a need to own up responsibility and make tightarrangements. Miscreants or terror organizations can see unrest in Delhi as anopportunity to inflict terror. The government and police cannot abdicate theirresponsibility.