MHA hands over probe into blast near Israeli embassy to NIA

The Ministry of Home Affairs has handed over to the National Investigation Agency (NIA) the probe into the blast near the Israel embassy in the national capital, officials said on Tuesday. A minor IED blast took place near the Israeli Embassy in the heart of Lutyens' Delhi on Friday evening. No one was injured.

"The investigation into the blast near the Israeli embassy has been handed over to the NIA," a home ministry official told news agency PTI. Some cars were damaged in the explosion that occurred about 150 metres from the embassy on Dr APJ Abdul Kalam Road in the high-security Lutyens' bungalow zone.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi spoke to his Israeli counterpart Benjamin Netanyahu on Monday to convey his strong condemnation of the terror attack and asserted that India will deploy all its resources to find and punish the perpetrators.

Both leaders, the PMO said, expressed satisfaction about the close coordination between Indian and Israeli security agencies in connection with the blast probe. The Israeli foreign ministry said all its diplomats and embassy staff in Delhi are "safe and sound".

"I spoke to my friend Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and thanked him for his government's efforts to protect Israeli representatives following the terrorist incident near the Israeli Embassy in India," Netanyahu wrote in a tweet. "Prime Minister Modi noted that his country is committed to the security of our people and that India will continue to cooperate with Israel in the fight against terrorism," he added.

On his part, Prime Minister Modi assured Netanyahu that the attack near the Israeli mission will be fully investigated and perpetrators brought to justice. "Our close and valuable security cooperation will continue. We also discussed our healthcare cooperation in the context of COVID-19," PM Modi tweeted.

On Friday, Netanyahu had expressed "full confidence" in the Indian authorities in ensuring the safety of Israelis and Jews in India following the blast that occurred about 150 metres away from the embassy in the very high-security Lutyens' bungalow zone. Some cars were damaged in the blast.

Netanyahu through his National Security Adviser Meir Ben-Shabbat, who spoke to his Indian counterpart Ajit Doval, conveyed to PM Modi that he has full confidence that the Indian authorities will do a thorough investigation of the incident and ensure the safety of Israelis and Jews who are there.

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar also spoke to his Israeli counterpart Gabi Ashkenazi and assured him of 'fullest protection' to diplomats and the mission.

with additional inputs from news agency PTI