NEW DELHI: Officials in India believe it is too early to assign blame for the blast at an Indian restaurant in Mississauga, Ontario, on Thursday in which at least 15 people were injured, several critically.
“Our diplomats are already in touch and our Intelligence agencies have offered all help to trace the culprits,” a source in Delhi said.
“I am confident that the people who did this will be caught and punished under Canadian law, and it is far too early to speculate on the motives or assign blame for this cowardly act,” he said.
External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj on Friday said that she was touch with Indian diplomats at the high commission in Ottawa and the consulate general in Toronto.
“I am in constant touch with our Consul General in Toronto and Indian High Commission in Canada,” she tweeted.
“Our missions will work round the clock.” Vikas Swarup, India’s High Commissioner to Canada, tweeted that India’s Consul General in Toronto visited the injured in the hospital, and that the three Indian-Canadians who were reported to be critically injured were stable.
“Regarding the bomb blast in an Indian restaurant in Mississauga, while we await details from the police, our Consul General in Toronto has visited the hospital and confirmed that the three Indian-Canadians who were reported to be critically injured are stable now. @HCI_Ottawa” Local police said an improvised explosive device went off at the Bombay Bhel restaurant in Mississauga city in Ontario province around 10.30 pm on Thursday, and have launched a massive manhunt for two male suspects who fled the scene after the blast.
“There is no indication that this is a terrorism act. There is no indication that this is a hate crime at this time,” said Peel Regional Police Chief Jennifer Evans.