Ghazipur bomb scare: Claim by Al-Qaeda affiliate bogus says police

New Delhi, Jan 18: An outfit claiming to be an affiliate of the Al-Qaeda said that it was behind the Ghazipur incident where an RDX laden bomb was found last week. However the Delhi Police have said that the claim is bogus and they are still probing which terror group is behind the incident, news agency ANI reported.. Following the incident a terror group known as the Ansar-Ghazwat-ul-Hind had claimed responsibility for the attack. The group is a little known entity and is relatively active in Jammu and Kashmir.

Last week the NSG destroyed an IED found near the Gate Number 1 of the market. The bomb disposal squad of the National Security Guards destroyed the IED through a controlled explosion.

The Improvised Explosive Device comprised RDX and ammonium nitrate and was found at the gate of the Ghazipur flower market. Sources tell OneIndia that the IED was attached to a timer device and had the explosion taken place as planned the effects would have been disastrous. There were nearly 5,000 people in the market, the source also added. Had the bomb gone off over 100 people could have died, officials said.

Officials part of the investigation said that the IED was planted by a terror group and was aimed at causing maximum destruction ahead of Republic Day. The controlled explosion undertaken by the NSG created two feet hole. This only indicates how powerful the explosive was and had it triggered off scores of people would have died.

The police found that the IED was placed inside a bag. There were some wires and white powder that were found inside the bag and this indicates that ammonium nitrate was present inside it. The IED was placed inside a metal box investigations also found.

Investigators also learnt that the bomb weighed 3 kilograms. It was also learnt that the person who placed the bomb did so at around 9.30 am. He reached the market in a scooter and after placing the bomb, he abandoned the vehicle.

While Intelligence Bureau officials feel that the bomb was placed ahead of Republic Day, they are also not ruling out the possibility of it being linked to the upcoming elections in the state of Uttar Pradesh.