A Khalistani link, a male suspect wearing a white t-shirt and an Improvised Explosive Device (IED), are the angles that the multi-agency probe is focusing a day after a ‘bomb’ blast near the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) public school sent shockwaves across the national Capital.
According to police sources, it is suspected that an IED, wrapped in a plastic bag, was hidden in a one-foot-deep pit near the CRPF school wall. A CRPF team visited the spot on Monday morning while its officials from the Institute of IED Management conducted a ground assessment. The National Security Guard’s (NSG) Bomb Disposal Squad (BDS) is preparing to submit its final report to the Delhi Police.
The CRPF, with its expertise in ground assessment, and the Institute of IED Management’s involvement, suggest a focus on understanding the blast’s mechanics and origin. The Delhi Police, in turn, is expected to submit its initial report to the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA). Additionally, the National Investigation Agency (NIA) and the Forensic Science Laboratory (FSL) of the Delhi Police have been assisting in the investigation.
Meanwhile, shops remained shut and a usually bustling market of the Prashant Vihar area remained deserted due to fear, with businessmen left in distress who are incurring losses ahead of the festival of Diwali, which is usually a peak time for sales of items including jewellery. Moreover, the two schools near the spot, including CRPF school and Lancer’s Convent, saw a low turnout of students due to the parents who are concerned for their safety.
Linking the blast to a possible Khalistan angle, a purported Telegram post was being circulated on social media which claimed that the blast was carried out in retaliation to the “targeting” of pro-Khalistan separatists allegedly by Indian agents.
“If the Indian coward agency and their master think they can hire filthy goons to target our members to silence our voice then they live in a fool’s world. They can’t imagine how close we are to them and how capable we are to strike anytime #KhalistanZindabad #JLI,” read a Telegram post by “Justice League India” handle which has less than 400 subscribers.
The post surfaced on social media late on Sunday evening pointing to the possible involvement of pro-Khalistani separatists behind the blast. “The police have written to Telegram to the know details of the creator of the group - Justice League Indian - in which the CCTV of the blast was shared with a Khalistan Zindabad watermark on it,” a police source said.
According to sources, the police have reviewed footage of over 100 CCTVs from around the crime scene, and on the routes leading to and from the location so far. “No concrete suspects have been identified in the CCTV footage during the investigation. Only blurry images of two individuals have been seen, but their faces are not clearly visible, including a suspect in a white T-shirt spotted at the blast site, a night before the explosion,” the source stated.
Teams of Delhi Police Special Cell, Crime Branch and local police are investigating the case. An FIR under Sections 326 (g) (mischief with severe consequences to public safety) of Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, Prevention of Damage to Public Property Act and Explosives Act was registered at Prashant Vihar police station against unknown persons.
During the course of investigation, local inquiries revealed that there had been a loud noise accompanied by white fumes of smoke. The blast caused a hole in the boundary wall of the school. “Additionally, window panes and signboards of the shops opposite the CRPF school were damaged due to the blast’s impact. Caller Akash S/o Ajay Singh R/o B-10, Prashant Vihar, Delhi has been interrogated and he revealed that he was sleeping at his home and he heard a voice of explosion, so he called the PCR However, no eyewitness is found at the spot,” the FIR stated.
It added that during the inspection, white powder was found scattered near the site. The area was immediately cordoned off, and senior officers were informed about the situation.
