Death toll in blast rises to 12; MHA hands over Case to NIA
New Delhi: Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Tuesday instructed the security agencies to hunt down each and every culprit behind the Delhi blast that claimed 12 lives. He said everyone involved will face the full wrath of security agencies.
Shah said this after chairing two subsequent security review meetings which were held in the wake of the Monday evening blast near Red Fort here.
“Chaired review meetings on the Delhi car blast with the senior officials. Instructed them to hunt down each and every culprit behind this incident. Everyone involved in this act will face the full wrath of our agencies,” he wrote on X.
The first meeting was attended by Union Home Secretary Govind Mohan, Director of Intelligence Bureau Tapan Deka, Delhi Police Commissioner Satish Golcha and NIA DG Sadanand Vasant Date.
DGP of Jammu and Kashmir Nalin Prabhat also attend the meeting virtually.
During the meeting, top officials gave detailed presentations on the situation in the aftermath of the blast, sources said.
Almost the same set of officials attended the afternoon security review meeting.
The Ministry of Home Affairs has also handed over the probe into the blast to the National Investigation Agency (NIA).
This is a clear indication that the blast, which so far claimed 12 lives, has been considered by the government as an act of terror as the NIA is mandated to probe into the terror cases only.
Shah has said that top investigating agencies were probing the blast, and will go in-depth into the incident.
The blast took place in a slow-moving car at a traffic signal near the Red Fort metro station on Monday evening, killing 12 people, injuring 20 and gutting several vehicles, officials said.
Meanwhile, the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) handed over the probe into a blast near the Red Fort to the National Investigation Agency (NIA), sources said.
This is a clear indication that the blast, which has so far claimed 12 lives, is being considered by the government as an act of terror, as the NIA is mandated to probe terror cases only.
“The blast case has been handed over to the NIA,” a source said.
The decision came hours after Union Home Minister Amit Shah reviewed the security situation in the national capital and other parts of the country following the blast.
Shah has called another security review meeting on Tuesday afternoon.
The home minister has said top investigating agencies are probing the blast and they will go in-depth into the incident.
Pertinent to mention here that the death toll in the blast near Red Fort rose to 12, with three more people succumbing to injuries, police said on Tuesday.
A powerful explosion ripped through a slow-moving car at a traffic signal near the Red Fort metro station on Monday evening. Till last night, nine people were confirmed to have died in the blast and 20 others were injured, officials said.
Police said three more people succumbed to injuries taking the toll to 12.
Delhi Police on Tuesday registered an FIR under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act and the Explosives Act in connection with the deadly blast.
Raids are being conducted at multiple locations by Delhi Police. The national capital has been placed on high alert with strict vigil being maintained at the airport, railway stations and bus terminals.
