Explosives-laden vehicle found near Indian consulate in Herat

NEW DELHI: An explosives-laden vehicle was today found near the Indian consulate in Herat and one person arrested in this regard, prompting speculation as to whether it was intended for attacking yet another Indian diplomatic mission in Afghanistan.

According to the information available here, a vehicle was found parked unattended in a makeshift taxi stand next to the consulate and when checked by police officials, it was found to contain explosives.

"Police had seized a suspect vehicle near consulate perimeter with explosives to be used for VBIED (vehicle-borne improvised explosive device). It was not ready to be used as VBIED but only had preparatory explosive materials. All main suspects were able to escape.... Only one suspect from nearby area has been detained by police for interrogation," Afghan police has reportedly informed the Indian officials.

However, Indian consulate in Herat tweeted that "reports about discovery of VBIED outside the Consulate are misleading. No explosives found."

Today's incident comes less than a week after an attack by a group of heavily armed insurgents who attempted to storm into the Indian consulate in northern Mazar-e-Sharif city of Afghanistan on Sunday.

Just few days after Mazar-e-Sharif incident, a small bomb exploded near the Indian consulate in the eastern Afghan city of Jalalabad on January five.

Meanwhile, Afghan new agency Khaama Press (KP) while reporting on today's development said the Afghan national security forces thwarted a terrorist attack plot by seizing a vehicle packed with explosives while it was parked close to the Indian consulate.

Provincial police spokesman Abdul Rauf Ahmadi confirmed that the vehicle was identified by the security forces and was defused on time. He was also quoted as saying that the police discovered explosives, fuses and remote controls from the vehicle which are normally used in suicide attacks.