Police arrest DRDO scientist for planting explosive to kill neighbour

NEW DELHI: A senior DRDO scientist has been arrested for allegedly planting an improvised explosive device (IED) in a tiffin box with an intention to kill his neighbour in the Rohini district court here earlier this month, police said on Saturday. The IED that triggered a low-intensity explosion in courtroom number 102 on December 9 had left a person injured. The accused, Bharat Bhushan Kataria (47), was arrested on Friday, police said.

According to Delhi Police Commissioner Rakesh Asthana, Kataria, who is a senior scientist at the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO), entered the court premises at 9.33 am on the day of the incident with two bags and left one of those behind inside courtroom number 102. The accused left the court premises at 10.35 am.

Kataria had planted the IED in a tiffin box and left the bag containing the tiffin box inside the courtroom as he wanted to kill his neighbour, who is a lawyer, police said.