A magnetic device was stuck on the rear of the Israeli embassy car, which exploded in New Delhi on Monday, and the blast could have been triggered with a remote control device, Delhi Police Commissioner B K Gupta said.
Gupta, however, said it was still too early to term the incident a terror attack.
Speaking to the press at the Tuglaq road police station, which is very close to the blast site on Aurangzeb road, the commissioner said, "According to initial reports, one person on a motorbike stuck a remote-controlled device on the car, which later triggered the explosion."
Four persons were injured in the blast. 42-year-old Talyessh Ova, the wife of an Israeli official who worked in the defence wing, was injured and was later taken to a private hospital. Among the other injured was her driver, Manoj Sharma, and Manjeet Singh, who was accompanying the Innova car in another car.
"All the three people injured in the blast have been discharged from the hospital," Gupta said. He added that two passersby were also injured in the blast.
The Delhi commissioner also said that the blast was targeted at the officials. He said the police would be in a position to comment on the nature of substances used in the blast after the Central Forensic Science Laboratory team completes its investigation and submits its report.
"Investigations are going on, and we are waiting for the reports from the CFSL team, which has collected evidence from the site," he said. "We can comment only after we have the reports."
However, those present at the briefing, soon coined the term 'sticker blast' as the device which triggered the blast was pasted on to the car. Moreover, it was for the first time a blast had occurred in such a way.
"It is for the first time that we are seeing such a thing," said Gupta on the device being stuck on the car, and it being called a 'sticker bomb.'
He said the special cell of Delhi police has been given the responsibility to probe the incident, he said.
They said the attack did not appear to be a handiwork of a local gang.
Gupta said the incident took place at 3:16 pm on the Aurangazeb Road near Safdurjung Road crossing.
"The wife of Israeli Defence Attache, was on her way to pick up her two children from American Embassy school when the incident took place," he said.
According to the version provided by one of the eye-witnesses who was injured, Gupta said a motorcyclist stuck something on the rear of the car and after that there was fire in the car.
"We do not know what is the chemical used. The CFSL is examining it," he said adding there was no shrapnel.
Besides Talyesshoba, three persons -- Manoj Sharma, 42, Arun Sharma, 61, and Manjit Singh, 78, -- were injured in the incident. Arun and Manjit were in another car.
Talyesshoba suffered injuries on her back while the others had minor injuries on their faces. "Talyesshoba is stable, she is conscious. We are yet to record her statement," she said.
Asked about the attacker, Gupta said he was wearing a red helmet and a brown jacket.
With inputs from PTI
