Delhi police to probe Red Fort attack

By Gaurav Vivek Bhatnagar

NEW DELHI, DEC. 23. Apprehensive of another strike by terrorists, the Delhi police today sounded a ``red alert'' in the capital and conducted searches in several guest houses all over the city, following Friday night's strike on the historic Red Fort by suspected Lashkar-e-Taiba militants that left two Army personnel and a civilian dead.

An AK-series assault rifle and a piece of paper containing some telephone numbers were recovered by police during combing operations in and around the fort.

Police sources said the main areas targeted under the drive were Central and North Delhi. Police also conducted searches in and around the wholesale fruit and vegetable market at Azadpur as also nearby colonies like such as Adarsh Nagar.

The Joint Commissioner (Northern Range), Mr. Ajay Chaddha, said a meeting had been held with senior Army officers, and that the investigation was being done by the Delhi police alone. The case, he said, has now been handed over to the Operations Cell of the Delhi police, which would be assisted by the North Delhi police as also the Crime Branch.

The officer said the Delhi police were informed of the shootout by the Army authorities at 9-23 p.m. ``We were given specific information by an officer about the terrorists escaping from the Ring Road side following a shooting incident.''

However, police personnel had to wait for some time before they could enter the Red Fort as the gates had been sealed by the military personnel. The security at the Red Fort is primarily under the 7th Battalion of Rajputana Rifles.

Police have recovered a total of 40 empty bullet shells and two empty magazines from the fort complex. They also found a loaded magazine with 28 live cartridges, which appeared to have accidentally fallen while the terrorists were on the move.

The AK-series weapon, Mr. Chaddha said, was recovered from across the Ring Road at Vijay Ghat - the Lal Bahadur Shastri memorial - after some employees at the place pointed to its presence. ``It appeared to have been pushed in lengthwise near the boundary wall.''

While a rope and a diary have apparently been found by the investigating agency, the officer said he would not like to comment on the other recoveries as it could hamper investigations.

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