NEW DELHI: Central agencies suspect a common Pakistan link in IEDs found in Delhi, Amritsar, and the Ludhiana court blast, according to top sources in the government.
The two consignments of eight IEDs, which were dropped through drones in Punjab last year, were delivered in two parts by Pakistan-based gangster Lakhbir Singh Rode, who was in touch with criminals of Punjab, Haryana, Delhi and UP, intelligence officials suspect.
Sources said that the IED recovered from Delhi’s Ghazipur and Seemapuri has a connection with similar consignments used in the Ludhiana court blast in December.
A senior security official said that several alerts were issued from October 2021 to January 2022 after Punjab police seized an IED from Amritsar.
When the intelligence agencies found reliable material pointing to Rode’s role, an alert was issued in October followed by several inputs after January 8 when the EC announced elections in five states.
The official pointed out that agencies are examining whether the IEDs from Delhi were actually meant for election-bound Uttar Pradesh as the explosives were seized just a few kilometres away from UP.
Another security official said, “At least three alerts were issued after it was found that eight IED consignments were sent from Pakistan. Punjab, Delhi and UP police were asked to remain extra alert.”
The official added that although forensic results of the two IEDs recovered from Delhi are awaited, they are suspecting IEDs found Amritsar and used for Ludhiana court blast were of the same make.