At least 15 injured in bomb attack on Indian restaurant in Canada
At least 15 people were injured, three of them seriously, when two unidentified men set off a bomb after walking into an Indian restaurant in a suburb of Toronto.
A couple of birthday celebrations were in progress in the premises of Bombay Bhel restaurant in Mississauga when the blast occurred on Thursday night. Peel Regional Police have provided CCTV images of two men, their faces hidden by hoodies, entering the restaurant prior to the explosion, and then fleeing the restaurant.
All three of the seriously injured are of Indian origin and are reported to be stable.
Police chief Jennifer Evans said at a press conference on Friday that the investigation was in its “early stages.”
While an improvised explosive device was used in the attack, police have not yet ascertained the motive. Neither have they described it as a terror incident or a hate crime.
The members of the families gathered for the birthday celebrations were of Indian origin.
While three of those injured were taken to hospital with serious injuries, 12 others suffered minor injuries from the blast.
External affairs minister Sushma Swaraj tweeted she was monitoring the situation from New Delhi.
“I am in constant touch with our Consul General in Toronto and Indian High Commissioner in Canada. Our missions will work round the clock.”
Officials from the Indian Consulate visited both the site of the explosion and the Sunnybrook Hospital where the three critically injured were taken by paramedics.
India’s Consul General to Toronto Dinesh Bhatia was at the hospital for a long time during the night.
“The Consulate opened a helpline immediately after receiving the information about the explosion to extend all possible assistance,” he told HT. “We are keeping a close watch on the situation. External affairs minister and Ministry of External Affairs are fully informed of the developments.”
Two of those seriously injured are residents of Mississauga, and the third of the neighbouring town of Brampton. Police also posted descriptions of the two men who were witnessed fleeing the scene.
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