NIA takes over Delhi blast case

New Delhi, Nov 11 (IANS) The Home Ministry on Tuesday handed over the Delhi blast investigation to the National Investigative Agency (NIA).

The blast occurred on Monday evening when a Haryana-registered car parked near Gate No.1 of the Red Fort Metro Station exploded, killing at least eight people and injuring dozens.

The NIA was handed over the case after Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Tuesday took stock of the investigation and the multi-state searches being conducted in the Delhi blast case, reiterating Prime Minister Narendra Modi's resolve to bring the culprits to justice.

Chairing a meeting at his residence with top security officials, HM Shah issued strict instructions to officials to get to the bottom of the conspiracy at the earliest.

The meeting was attended by Union Home Secretary Govind Mohan, Intelligence Bureau Director Tapan Kumar Deka, Delhi Police Commissioner Satish Golcha and NIA Director General (DG) Sadanand Vasant Date, while the Jammu and Kashmir Director General of Police (DGP) Nalin Prabhat joined virtually.

A team of more than 500 security officials has been formed to investigate the blast, while security has been ramped up across Delhi-NCR, with NSG commandos deployed at key installations.

More than 1,000 CCTV footage clips are being scanned by investigative agencies, which suspect that the car explosion could have been a suicide attack aimed at causing maximum damage, Delhi Police sources said.

Investigative agencies are also monitoring social media activity and collecting mobile phone dump data from several locations across Delhi.

According to police sources, dump data is being retrieved from all mobile phones that were active in and around the Red Fort area. This data may help identify phone numbers and communication links connected to the car bombing.

HM Shah directed the NIA, IB, and Delhi Police Special Cell to work in tandem, vowing, "No stone will be left unturned".

High alerts have been issued in Delhi, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, and Mumbai, with security around crowded public places and religious sites enhanced.

--IANS

sd/