Even as the hunt is on for a motorcyclist who attached an improvised explosive magnetic device to an Israeli diplomat's car on Aurangazeb Road here on Monday, the Delhi Police have sought footage of the closed-circuit television cameras in nearby buildings, the Israeli Embassy and the Canadian High Commission.
“We have sought the footage of the past seven-eight days. As the Canadian High Commission is located close to the spot, we have approached them for footage,” Police Commissioner B.K. Gupta said.
Police have identified 16 CCTVs installed at bungalows along the road and in nearby areas and their footage are being sought.
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Police suspect that the terrorist must have conducted a reconnaissance of the area and tailed Tal Yehoshua Koren — embassy official and wife of Israel's defence attaché, who was seriously injured in the blast — to ascertain her daily routine.
Police, however, have not come across any significant grab revealing the assailant's identity or the motorcycle's registration number. From an eyewitness account, they believe that the motorcycle's colour was red. On that basis, they have questioned five persons. Another person has come forward to reveal that he had passed by the Israeli Embassy around the time of the explosion.
As described by the eyewitness, the device affixed to the diplomat's car was not bigger than a palmtop or a brick.
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“The bomb would have exploded in three to five seconds after it was stuck to the vehicle. While escaping, the motorcyclist hit a bollard dividing the road, moved to the other carriageway and apparently took a left turn before speeding away,” he said.
Police are not yet sure whether the bomb was triggered mechanically or detonated by a remote control device or a timer. But they have found magnet pieces at the spot.
Given that such a bomb has been used for the first time in the country, police suspect the involvement of a terror module well trained in handling explosives, and probably having links with international terror organisations.
“The attacker managed to escape from the spot within seconds and without sustaining any injury, which shows that he was well trained,” Mr. Gupta said.
Neither the injured Israeli Embassy official nor car driver Manoj Sharma saw the motorcyclist, Mr. Gupta said.
Police are yet to record the statement of Ms. Koren, who was going to pick up her children from school when the blast took place.
The eyewitness, a resident of Patparganj in East Delhi, was driving a Ford Ikon behind the embassy car. He claimed that he saw the motorcyclist sticking a box-like object at the right rear end of the car seconds before the explosion.
As part of investigations, the whereabouts of foreign nationals are being checked by police and intelligence agencies.