Terror revisited New Delhi when 11 people were killed and at least 50 injured in a blast that occurred around 1015 a.m. outside the High Court premises.
National Security Guard and National Investigation Agency (NIA) teams have also reached the blast site. NSG Director General Rajen Medhekar said that ammonium nitrate has been used in the blast.
The Lok Sabha was adjourned and question hour suspended for home minister P Chidambaram to make a statement in Parliament on a powerful bomb explosion that killed at least nine people outside the Delhi High Court.
Chidambaram stated that this was indeed a terrorist act and a full-scale investigation has been ordered. He said the bomb was concealed in briefcase and the post-blast investigation team of Delhi Police have begun probing. He stated that it was not possible at this stage to identify who’s responsible and appealed to the people to remain united. He said the country was determined to track down perpetrators.
Union Home Ministry RK Singh confirmed that nine people have died in the explosion. Singh said that the blast, which was of “medium to high intensity”, took place between Gate Nos. 4 and 5 near the reception counter where passes are made for litigants.
Singh said “it had all the makings of an Improvised Explosive Device (IED) set up by a terror group.”
Earlier, Singh said 45 people were injured with some eyewitnesses saying some of the injured were in a critical condition. Special Commissioner Dharmendra Kumar told reporters the bomb was apparently kept in a briefcase.
The Home Ministry has also issued a nation-wide alert.
Court proceedings were adjourned till 2pm. The main court premises where all the courtrooms are housed have been evacuated.
It was the second blast in four months outside the High Court premises. No one was injured in the previous explosion on May 25.
This is the worst terror attack in the capital since the triple blasts on September 13, 2008 in which 25 people were killed. On September 13, 2008 serials blasts had rocked Karol Bagh, Connaught Place and Greater Kailash in the capital in which over 150 people were injured.
The Gate No 5 was crowded with 100 to 200 people waiting in queue to get entry passes. There were several lawyers at the spot.
“We are investigating how the brief case was placed there It is not a controlled area. There were lots of people,” said Kumar. Delhi police suspected use of potassium nitrate in the bomb.
Lok Sabha Speaker Meira Kumar condemned the bombing and expressed sympathies for victims. She adjourned the house till 12.30pm and said the government would make a statement later in the day. All members joined her to condemn the terror attack.
Delhi Police sources said that they suspect use of potassium nitrate in the bomb. The bomb was apparently kept in a brief case, said an official.
