Pak's ISI possibly planted IED in Delhi through sleeper cells: Sources

By Ujwal Jalali

New Delhi, Jan 17 (IANS) The investigation into the Improvised Explosive Device (IED) recovery case in the national capital has once again indicated Pakistan's role in creating unrest in India.

Sources privy to the probe told IANS that Pakistan's Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) could have possibly planted the IED in the Ghazipur flower market area in Delhi through its sleeper cells.

The National Security Guard and the Special Cell of Delhi Police on January 14 (Friday) averted a major terror attack in the city by timely defusing a 3-Kg IED which was placed at a crowded market by unidentified anti-national elements.

"The RDX used in the manufacturing of the IED is indicating the role of ISI in carrying out a planned attack," sources said.

Sources further said that the Special Cell, which is investigating the case, has so far conducted multiple raids in the national capital. However, they are yet to make any headway in the probe.

Even the CCTV camera, which was already in place at the entrance gate of the Ghazipur flower market, has not been able to give a desired result as the camera's focus was not towards the spot where the explosives-laden bag was lying.

The explosives-laden bag was first sighted by a local vendor, however, he did not pay any heed to it and left. When he returned after sometime, the bag was still there after which he informed a civil defence volunteer in the area who then ultimately made a PCR call around 10.16 a.m. and the Delhi Fire Services (DFS) department was also informed at the same time.

With things looking very serious the Delhi Police alerted premeir anti-terror force -- NSG -- about the suspicious object around 11 a.m. which sent it bomb disposal squad.

The police then cordoned off the entire area for the safety and security of the people. The NSG bomb disposal squad with the help of police personnel dug an approximately 8 feet ditch in an open ground where the bag carrying the IED was disposed off.

The NSG conducted a controlled explosion of the recovered IED in that ditch, saving several lives that could have been snuffed out if the bomb had not been found and defused in time.

Notably, on the same day -- January 14, a special task force (STF) of the Punjab Police recovered a 5-kg improvised explosive device and Rs 1 lakh in cash near the India-Pakistan border. It was learnt that the IED found in Delhi could possibly be part of the same consignment which was recovered in Punjab. "The investigation is still going on and all possible links are being probed to connect the missing dots in the case," sources said.

(Ujwal Jalali can be reached [email protected])