IED at Ghazipur market: Security checks choke traffic at Delhi borders

Both the Delhi Police and the Uttar Pradesh police enhanced deployment on the state border points in the eastern part of the capital

Already on a high alert ahead of the Republic Day celebrations, security arrangements across Delhi-NCR were further tightened, and checking of vehicles and individuals at city’s border points was intensified following the recovery of explosives at the Ghazipur wholesale flower market on Friday morning.

A bag containing a nearly 3kg improvised explosive device that is suspected to have RDX among other substances was spotted by a visitor near Gate number 1 of the flower market on Friday morning. (Raj K Raj/Hindustan Times)

Both the Delhi Police and the Uttar Pradesh police enhanced deployment on the state border points in the eastern part of the capital.

A bag containing a nearly 3kg improvised explosive device that is suspected to have RDX among other substances was spotted by a visitor near Gate number 1 of the flower market on Friday morning. In the evening, the Punjab police chief tweeted about recovery of another 5-kg IED being found in Amritsar.

Though scanning of the footage from the CCTV cameras installed at the market gate did not give any specific clue, investigators said that some people who were present inside the market has told them that they saw four-five people leaving hurriedly in a three-wheeler goods carrier “around the time when the IED was found. The police are trying to identify and locate the three-wheeler, the investigator said.

After the market was evacuated soon after the arrival of the police, fire and disaster management personnel at the spot, the Delhi Police enhanced deployment at border points in Ghazipur, near Anand Vihar and Maharajpur. All cars crossing the border were thoroughly checked by personnel of the police forces of the two states. The checking of vehicles and placement of barricades led to long queues of vehicles at the three border points on Friday evening.

Barricades for vehicle checking were also placed at Singhu, Tikri, and other borders connecting Delhi with Haryana. The police personnel were seen checking boots of the cars and two wheeler riders were asked to show their bags.

A senior Ghaziabad police officer, who asked not to be named, confirmed enhanced patrolling and vehicle checks along the Delhi border. He said besides the recovery of explosives, the state was already on an alert due to the model code of conduct in place for the upcoming assembly elections.

A senior Delhi Police officer, who asked not to be named, said there were no “serious inputs” from the central intelligence agencies regarding any possible terror strike in the national capital around the Republic Day. He added that Delhi Police have already sounded a heightened alert, and the personnel have been asked to stay at maximum vigil.

“Security at popular markets and vital installations is being enhanced in view of the Republic Day,” the officer added..