Officials examining the blast near the Israeli embassy in New Delhi that occurred on Tuesday (26) believe it was a well-coordinated plan. They suggest the perpetrators were aware of the absence of CCTV cameras on Prithviraj Road, police sources said on Wednesday (27).
A low-intensity blast occurred in the area between the boundary walls of the house on plot number 4 -- Nanda's House -- and the Central Hindi Training Institute on plot number 2A on Prithviraj Road on Tuesday evening.
The area has bushes, plants, and trees and no CCTV camera, the sources said. The area is behind the Israeli embassy on Dr APJ Abdul Kalam Road, running parallel to Prithviraj Road.
The sources said there was no CCTV camera at the location as compared to Dr APJ Abdul Kalam Road where more than a dozen cameras are installed outside and near the embassy.
"Nanda's House and the Hindi training institute have CCTVs inside their gates," a source said, adding that cameras are also installed at the entry gates of the other houses.
The footage obtained from these cameras show some people, including two youngsters, roaming in the area, but they are not on the list of suspects yet.
According to the officials, the accused probably wanted to send out a message, without harming anyone.
A letter found from the spot has given a grim reminder of the January 2021 blast near the embassy.
The content of the one-page letter written in English is abusive and it also contains threats, the sources said. It was purportedly written by "Sir Allah Resistance", an organisation, they said, adding that it had words such as "Zionists", "Palestine" and "Gaza".
A letter was found from the spot after the 2021 blast as well. The letter was purposely planted to send out a message to Israel on Iran, a police officer said.
The January 2021 blast had also occurred around 5 pm and the letter was addressed to the Israeli ambassador with the word "trailer" written on it. It had mentioned the killings of an Iranian military officer and Iranian nuclear scientists.
The Special Cell of the Delhi Police had nabbed four men from Jammu and Kashmir in connection with the case.
According to the Delhi Police, the perpetrators of the latest explosion had done proper research and carried out reconnaissance of the surroundings and nearby lanes of the embassy, before executing the blast and planting the letter on the spot.
Till Wednesday evening, the Delhi Police had not registered any case as they were trying to ascertain the sequence of events leading up to the incident and the nature of the explosion.
Some witnesses, including security guards, have claimed that they heard a loud noise, which was followed by a cloud of smoke.
National Security Group (NSG) commandoes, along with forensic experts, have collected samples, including leaves, grass, and soil, from the spot.
(PTI)
Clifford had previously pleaded guilty to the murders of BBC sports commentator John Hunt’s wife and two daughters at their home in northwest of London, in July 2024. (Photo: Hertfordshire Police /Handout via REUTERS)
Crossbow murderer found guilty of raping ex-girlfriend
A 26-YEAR-OLD man who murdered three women in a crossbow and stabbing attack has been found guilty of raping one of them, his ex-girlfriend, a British court ruled on Thursday.
Kyle Clifford had previously pleaded guilty to the murders of BBC sports commentator John Hunt’s wife and two daughters at their home in Bushey, northwest of London, in July 2024.
The attack led to a manhunt before Clifford was found injured hours later in a north London cemetery.
A jury at Cambridge Crown Court on Thursday convicted Clifford of raping 25-year-old Louise Hunt before killing her.
His sentencing for all the crimes is scheduled for Tuesday.
Clifford had admitted to murdering Carol Hunt, 61, and her daughters Louise and Hannah, 28. He had also pleaded guilty to charges of false imprisonment and possessing offensive weapons but denied raping Louise.
During the trial, the court heard that after killing Carol Hunt, Clifford waited for an hour before attacking Louise, tying her up, raping her, and then killing her with a crossbow. He later killed Hannah when she returned home from work.
The prosecution described Clifford, a former soldier, as committing a "violent, sexual act of spite" and said he was "enraged" after Louise ended their 18-month relationship. They told the court that he had "carefully planned" the attack.
Less than 24 hours before the killings, Clifford had searched for a podcast by social media influencer Andrew Tate, according to the prosecution. They argued that the murders were driven by the "violent misogyny promoted" by Tate.
Justice Joel Bennathan called Clifford’s crimes "dreadful" and "almost unspeakable".
(With inputs from AFP)