Security has been tightened at the Ghazipur flower market in Delhi, a day after an improvised explosive device (IED) stuffed with RDX and ammonium nitrate was found inside an unattended bag there ahead of Republic Day, officials said on Saturday.

The IED was defused around 1:30 pm on Friday.

According to police, while the flower market is not exempted from the Covid curbs in the national capital, fruit and vegetable market is spared and is functioning.

"The security has been tightened in the market. The fruit and vegetable market is open as it comes under exempted category. People are requested to follow the Covid- appropriate behaviour," Additional Deputy Commissioner of Police (east) Vinit Kumar said.

Police said that a person who had come to the market on Friday to purchase flowers spotted a suspicious unattended bag near his scooty at an abandoned place. He then informed people and also alerted the Delhi Home Guards deployed there.

The person then made a PCR call around 10.30 am about the unattended bag.