Shattered glass panes, showcases, signboards, frightened residents and heavy deployment of intra-department security forces marked a high stress Sunday in the National Capital. Delhi woke up to the shocking news of a ‘bomb blast’ near the renowned Central Reserve Police Forces (CRPF) school in Rohini Sector-14 on Sunday morning, when many had woken up early to begin rituals for Karwachauth, a festival celebrated by married women. While the school was closed for the weekend, the markets were to open as usual, especially sweet shops as the festive season has begun in the city.
A quiet Sunday morning turned into a nightmare for the residents when they heard a loud blast around 7:45 am. The sound they recalled could be heard up to a kilometer away. The Prashant Vihar area where the blast occurred is densely populated and has residential buildings, schools, Rohini Court and Delhi Development Authority (DDA) complex.
Pramod Chauhan, a security guard, who was on duty outside a jewelry shop right opposite of the school at the time of the blast, said that there was dense smoke for at least 10 minutes after a sudden loud noise was heard. “I was almost about to leave since my shift was over when the blast happened. I could not see anything for the next 10 minutes after the blast as there was thick white smoke all around. My heart started palpitating very fast. The glass panes of the shops around were shattered, and cars that were parked near the school were also damaged,” 52-year-old Chauhan said.
He added that there was a “chemical-like smell” from the site, and that the police arrived about 20 minutes after the incident. The owner of the shop Vinod Kumar said that he incurred losses worth Rs 2 lakhs because of the blast. Ankit, a 25-year-old who lives near the CRPF school said the sound was so loud that it was heard for at least a kilometer away from the place.
According to police sources, the investigation may be transferred to the National Investigative Agency (NIA) by the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) on Tuesday, after it sought a report from the Delhi Police on the matter. The Delhi Police has already submitted a preliminary report to the MHA. Police officials added that it seems to be a crude bomb made of ammonium nitrate and ammonium chloride.
The usually bustling area which has markets and eateries was relatively quiet and many shops remained closed on Sunday. Residents also stayed in their homes. A frightened Kiran Sachdeva, a resident of the locality, described the blast as “an earthquake-like shock”, that they felt in her house which was about 200-250 meters away from the site.
A senior police official said, “On Sunday, at 07:47 am, a PCR call was received in which the caller informed that a blast with a lot of noise took place near CRPF school Sector 14, Rohini. Local police reached the spot, where the school wall was found damaged with a foul smell. The glasses of a nearby shop and a car parked near the shop were found to be damaged.”
The place has been cordoned off and there is heavy deployment of officials from Crime team, Forensic Science Laboratory (FSL) team, bomb squad team, National Security Guard (NSG) team, National Investigative Agency (NIA) team, CRPF Team and National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) team visited the spot. “FSL and NSG teams conducted the inspection of spot and lifted samples.
A case under section 326(g) (Mischief by injury, inundation, fire or explosive substance, etc) of Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), 4 Prevention of Damage to Public Property Act and 3 Explosives Act has been registered at Prashant Vihar police station.
Delhi Police said it is collecting mobile network data to find out who was present nearby when the explosion happened, which is suspected to be a crude bomb. Forensic experts inspecting the area outside the CRPF school, found a suspicious “white powder” from the spot and sent it to the laboratory for examination. They have also dug up a hole near the school’s wall and taken soil samples with them.
“The white powder could be a mixture of ammonium nitrate and chloride. There was a foul smell of chemicals after the blast. Local residents and police officials who rushed there also felt the same. Our teams are investigating the entire matter,” a senior police officer said.
National Security Guard officials have also sent some material picked up from the spot for further investigation. “Whether it is some kind of explosive or anything else can only be ascertained after we thoroughly examine it. We are suspecting a crude bomb could be the reason for the blast,” a senior official said.
The NSG commandos have deployed robots to scan the entire area to know if there are any other explosive materials. “NSG, NIA and Delhi Police have cordoned off the entire area. Delhi Police is already on high alert due to festival season,” said the official. Senior police officers, including from the crime branch and the Special Cell, as well as the fire brigade reached the spot after it was reported.
Delhi Fire Services (DFS) said they received a call regarding a blast “near the boundary wall” of the CRPF school. “We immediately rushed two fire engines to the spot. There was no fire and no one was injured due to the blast, so our vehicle returned,” DFS officials said.
A senior police officer said, “Our forensic team and crime unit are at the spot to collect samples from the blast location. It could be a firecracker, but we are investigating the entire matter from all angles,” the officer said. Police said they are checking the CCTV footage of the spot.
Another senior police officer added, “Our bomb disposal teams are checking the nearby area. We have also sounded an alert to nearby police stations to increase vigil and checking. Foot patrolling has also been intensified in different markets. We request everyone to inform the police immediately if they see any suspected item.”
This blast comes just four months after many schools across Delhi received hoax bomb threats back in the month of May, which later turned out to be hoax.
