New Delhi, February 14
It is a mad hunt for a red motorcycle across the national Capital. The police does not know its registration number or its model, making it virtually impossible to trace the bike.

The search was launched after an Israeli diplomat's wife was wounded in an explosion triggered by a "sticker bomb" that had been placed on an Innova car yesterday.

According to police investigations, a helmeted motorcycle-borne man had placed the bomb at the rear end of the car at the traffic light on Aurangzeb Road. Four seconds later, the bomb exploded, engulfing the car in flames.

The police has interrogated several motorcyclists across the Capital. It is searching for red motorcycles, which are parked at railway and Metro stations.

"We are trying to search for red motorcycles that have been abandoned in the national Capital," said the Delhi Police Commissioner, BK Gupta.

Several investigating teams from the 11 police districts have been deployed to look for the motorcycle that was instrumental in causing the blast. The narrow bylanes of Delhi are being patrolled by the police personnel.

All the police stations in Delhi and the National Capital Region have been put on high alert since yesterday. The cops at the borders of Delhi with neighbouring states are strictly checking all the vehicles, including red motorcycles entering the Capital.

The parking attendants at big market places such Sarojini Nagar and Connaught Place are being questioned about red motorcycles.

The police has also set up checkpoints at several important roads, in order to question the persons riding red bikes.

Since the bomb blast yesterday, other embassies in the Capital are strengthening security for their diplomats and employees. Police vans were constantly patrolling the vicinity of the Israeli embassy today.

The bomb blast that occurred yesterday was near the embassy.

Furthermore, the National Investigating Agency (NIA) has been inspecting the blast site since yesterday. The police will be closely watching the immediate vicinity of the site by examining the footage of CCTV cameras at buildings situated on Aurangzeb Road. 

New Delhi, February 14
While the Israeli diplomat’s wife who was severely injured in yesterday's suspected terror attack remains under close observation after she underwent spine surgery last night at Primus Hospital, the other three persons who had suffered glass and splinter injuries in their faces were discharged last night from Dr Ram Manohar Lohia Hospital.

Israeli defence attache's wife, Tal Yehoshua (40), had suffered critical injuries of spine and abdomen in the car bomb explosion at Aurangazeb crossing.

"She was operated upon for spine injuries last night and is being observed for other injuries of liver and that of abdomen region. She is stable, conscious and is talking to her family members," said the private hospital's medical superintendent Dr N D Khurana.

Following the procedures involving spine and removal of her liver portions, she needs to be monitored for 48-72 hours, said doctors at the hospital where two Israeli doctors have also been assisting the team in her treatment.

Sources said, the patient, who was injured when the embassy car she was travelling in exploded seconds after a motorcycle-borne youth placed a magnetic explosive on the vehicle, may be flown back to Israel once she gets better but as of now no confirmation could be received from the embassy officials. 

New Delhi, February 14
A day after a terror attack on an Israeli embassy car here, security was today beefed up at Chabad House in Paharganj, which is a meeting spot for Jews, and the resident rabbi restricted the entry to only Israeli-origin people.

Policemen checked the bags and passports of the people at the entrance, ascertaining that they were Israeli nationals before letting them in.

Michael Goldman from Tel Aviv said it was sad and he was moving out of the city earlier than planned.

"I'm planning to leave Delhi in a couple of days and head northwards to the mountains," Goldman told IANS.

The car carrying the wife of an Israeli diplomat was damaged in an explosion last afternoon when a biker planted an explosive on the rear of the car and sped off. The woman, her driver and two people in a nearby car were injured.

Said 22-year-old Israeli backpacker Avi Loewe about the restricted entry to Chabad House: "I'm glad no one was killed. The security will be eased after a couple of days when the situation normalises."

Israelis, who arrive in India in large numbers, as backpackers and tourists, come to Delhi's Chabad House for celebrating special occasions such as Passover.

"Otherwise, they come to the Chabad House to pray, share a weekend meal or socialise," said Thomas Wilhelmsen, a Swiss resident who has been living in the capital for the past three months.

Chabad Houses serve as Jewish community centres across the world and provide educational and social activities. Such centres aim at providing a cosy and informal place to learn about and observe Judaism.

With headquarters in New York, Chabad Houses are established all over the world. For Israeli travellers, it is a home away from home. - IANS

Noida, February 14
The Greater Noida Industrial Development Authority claims to be spending crores of rupees on the development of villages. However, a road just behind the Collectorate at Surajpur village has been in a bad shape for over a year.

The hi-tech area boasts of wide roads. As one enters Greater Noida and drives to the District Magistrate office at Surajpur, one gets impressed with the metalled roads. But, take a left turn to the village and the bumpy road greets you, showing a contrast in two roads and exposing the authority's claim of development in the villages.

"It is not a sector road. It is a village road and panchayat roads are always like this. The road network is developed where the government offices are situated, but the village roads remain neglected," said Imran Khan, one of the residents of the village.

"In March last year, the authority had laid the sewer line here and dug up the road. Since then the road has been in a bad shape. Several accidents have taken place here. Yesterday only, a motorcyclist suffered injury as the wheel of the bike stuck into the dug-up area filled with rain water," said Usha Gupta, who runs a provisions shop here.

"Officials of the authority had not repaired it. We brought the soil and filled the pothole and levelled it. But during rain, the soil again washes out. We had requested the authority and panchayat officials to repair it, but the road has been in a bad shape to date," said Pawan Kumar, another resident.

"The authority says it comes under panchayat and it's their job to construct it while panchayat officials put blame on the authority," said Haseena Khatoon.

"The situation in all the villages of the district is the same. Though the authority claims to have laid sewer lines in villages, there are no outlets for such lines which get choked within months," said Virendra Dhada, former chairman, district panchayat.

An official of the authority said that the road would be constructed after the Assembly election.

New Delhi, February 14
The Union urban development ministry today announced a host of projects and services on the Delhi Metro network in and around the Capital. Urban development secretary Sudhir Krishna along with Delhi Metro Rail Corporation chief Mangu Singh also spoke of several infrastructural plans ahead for the Metro.

New Delhi, February 14
The two-year-old baby underwent another procedure today to allay concerns on the prolonged brain infection, which has become a major cause of worry for the doctors of AIIMS Trauma Centre. However, she continues to be on ventilator in a critical state though stable.

"To bring down the infection level in the brain, we did a bedside procedure wherein we put a tube in the brain that drains the infected fluid outside. The procedure was undertaken as an alternative attempt to bring down the infection level in her brain as it is because of this infection, she continues to remain critical," said neurosurgeon Dr Deepak Agarwal.

The baby has undergone three procedures earlier, including the one major life-saving brain surgery after a teenager admitted her to hospital on January 18. She was brought to hospital with severe head injuries, fractured arms and bite marks all over her body and her cheeks were branded with hot iron.

"Her injuries have been very serious and are going to have lifelong effect even if she survives. She runs the risk of getting mentally retarded or living with dipped conscious level. Our only aim right now is to pull her out of this critical condition and from the ICU," said Dr Agarwal. 

New Delhi, February 14
In order to bring all the placement agencies under control that are operating in the city in regard of supplying domestic helps, the Delhi government said that it was in the process of finalising a draft bill.

The bill will be finalised soon, said minister of state for labour and industries Ramakant Goswami, as the government is in the final stage of completion. It will then be placed before the Delhi Cabinet for consideration. Once it is cleared by the Cabinet, the bill will be introduced in the Legislative Assembly.

"Our department has been receiving a large number of complaints against such agencies whose modus operandi has been found to be against established business ethics," said Goswami while attending a conference of labour ministers of the states organised by the union labour ministry.

He said that the present legislation was not sufficient to curb fraudulent practices of such agencies which were causing harassment and loss of money to people. "The gravity of problem is becoming more serious in the city as lakhs of families contact these placement agencies to hire domestic helps.

He said that the department was working to redress the complaints about such placement agencies, adding that, it was also becoming difficult to act against such agencies due to existing labour laws.

He laid stress upon the need of simplification of laws. "It is time to revisit the existing labour laws as the laws were enacted many decades ago. Its simplification will go a long way in helping workers to understand the spirit of laws easily. They will also be able to understand the ways and means available to them in case of exploitation or any violation of provisions by their employers," he said.

He emphasised upon the need of providing an atmosphere conducive to economic enrichment of the workers. He said that the city government was also focusing on industrial safety. It had decided to institute a Chief Minister Worker award for valuable contribution in industrial safety. An amount of Rs 1 lakh will be given thorough this award.

The state government had decided to set up a construction academy as part of its ambitious plan of skill development.

New Delhi, February 14
A 21-year-old woman was today critically injured after she fell 17 ft onto the road from an elevated station platform of the Delhi Metro in east Delhi. She was admitted to hospital with head injuries, the police said.

Rinki Chaurasia slipped on to the road from the platform of the Preet Vihar Metro station, the police said. She was rushed to a nearby hospital and later shifted to Max Balaji Hospital.

"She landed bang down on the road," Additional Deputy Commissioner of Police (crime and railways) BS Gurjar said.

He added that it was not clearly visible in the CCTV footage whether the girl attempted suicide or it was an accident or any other possibilities.

"We are waiting for the statement of the girl after she gets well," he added.

According to witnesses, the girl attempted suicide. Suraj Pal said: "The girl was crying at the Metro station. She jumped from the platform."

The girl fell on the road and was critically injured, witnesses said.

An official of the Delhi Metro: "The railings on the platforms of all the Metro stations are too high for an individual to trip over them. A person leaning could not fall, unless the individual tries to scale them."

On January 27, 20-year-old Goldie Kumari was injured after she jumped from one of the platforms at the Kanhaiya Nagar Metro station in north Delhi.

History sheeter arrested

A history sheeter was arrested for his alleged involvement in theft cases and four stolen motorcycles were recovered from his possession, police said here today. Kapil (29) was arrested yesterday from near Paschim Vihar.

During a routine check, police asked Kapil, who was riding a bike, to stop but he refused after which they overpowered him. It came to light that the motorcycle was stolen property and he was involved in other theft cases. IANS/ PTI