LIVE | NSG, NIA initiate probe after blast outside CRPF school in Delhi
NSG commandos have deployed robots to scan the entire area to know if there are any other explosive materials
A loud blast took place near a CRPF school in Prashant Vihar area in Delhi's Rohini on Sunday morning. No one was injured in the incident, officials said.
A bomb squad and a police forensic team have been rushed to the spot near the CRPF school, Sector 14, Rohini, to ascertain the source of the explosion that was reported around 7.50 am, while officials of the National Investigation Agency (NIA) and National Security Guard (NSG) have also reached the spot.
Crude bomb suspected
Police said the wall of the school, nearby shops and a car suffered damage and the area has been cordoned off. Plumes of smoke could be seen billowing from the spot. A purported video of the aftermath of the explosion also surfaced on social media showing thick dense white smoke.
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Delhi police said they are collecting mobile network data to find out who were present nearby when the explosion happened which is suspected to be a crude bomb.
‘White powder’ found
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.
NSG officials have also sent some material picked up from the spot for further probe. “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 of blast,” a senior official said.
Robots to scan area
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 are already on high alert due to festival season. Police are registering the FIR under The Explosives Act,” said the official.
Collecting samples
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. In a statement, police said they received a PCR call at 7.47 am regarding a loud blast.
"SHO of Prashant Vihar and staff 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. No one was injured," they said.
FSL team at spot
"A crime team, Forensic Science Laboratory (FSL) team and bomb disposal squad are called to the spot. The crime spot has been cordoned off. A fire brigade team is on the spot," it said.
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"It was around 7.30 am when we heard a very loud noise. We thought that an LPG cylinder exploded nearby. We immediately informed the police and the fire brigade about the matter. Many glass panes of several shops got shattered," a local resident said.
Rakesh Gupta, who lives nearby, said people came out of their houses immediately after the explosion. "We are very confused about what has happened. Police teams are investigating," Gupta said.
Sumit, who runs a sunglasses shop very close to the blast spot, said, "My window panes got shattered. Everything inside my shop fell on the ground. It was a very intense blast," he said.
(With inputs from agencies)
Live Updates
- 20 Oct 2024 11:11 AM GMT
"Chemical-like" smell at blast site
Locals said there was a "chemical-like" smell at the site and thick white smoke everywhere as panic gripped the Paschim Vihar area after the blast happened near a CRPF school.
"It wasn't like a firecracker, the sound was incredibly loud. And for 15-20 minutes, there was just smoke everywhere," said Kiran Sachdeva, a resident of the locality.
Sachdeva, in her 60s, described the blast as an "earthquake-like" shock, and said her house was about 200-250 meters away from the site.
Local businesses were affected by the explosion, with the fire brigade, police, bomb squad as well as a team of the NIA and NSG visiting the area to ascertain the cause of the explosion. No one was injured in the incident but the walls of the schools and some shops and a car nearby received damage, according to officials.
The usually-bustling streets were eerily quiet, with all shops and kiosks closed and their glass windows and signboards shattered.
Himanshu Kohli, a shopkeeper, said when he heard the blast, he ran towards the spot. He said white smoke filled the air and a strong, chemical-like smell emanated from the site.
"Glass windows and boards were broken. I got scared and returned to my shop," Kohli said.
Parents of school-going children, though relieved that it happened on a Sunday, couldn't help but wonder what could have been.
"My son studies in class 9 at that (CRPF) school. I couldn't help but be worried about him," said Rita Singh, another Paschim Vihar resident.
Anita Singh had just returned from the temple when she heard the "very loud explosion".
"I felt the vibrations in my house. It felt like someone's cylinder had exploded nearby. My children's school bus comes here and usually we stand at this (near the school) gate in the morning.
"But since today was Sunday, nobody got hurt. I shudder to think about how big a disaster it could have been if it had happened during the weekdays," she said.
Thirty-five-year-old Anish Malhotra woke up in fear when he heard the explosion.
"When I came outside, it was all smoky, but thankfully it was Sunday, and schools were closed, because there are two schools adjacent to each other here, he said.
Yet, people are wondering about the lingering smell of chemicals, which has heightened tension in the area, Malhotra said.
People also noted that the blast occurred in the festive season -- many are observing Karwa Chauth on Sunday and Diwali is also approaching -- when streets are filled with crowds.
"This road is pretty busy, and if it had happened in the evening, I don't know how much damage could have occurred. Today is Karwa Chauth, and many people would have been out celebrating here," Dhiraj Parana said.
Another local said he did not come out initially when the blast happened. Later when he went out, he saw some early morning shoppers running away.
"It looks like some mischievous activity. My child studies here and now there will always be a fear in my mind that anything can happen at any time," a woman lamented. "I've never witnessed something like this before," another resident said.
Officers of the National Security Guard (NSG), National Investigation Agency and Delhi Police have cordoned off the entire area of the explosion site. They are collecting samples from the area, CCTV footage and other data to ascertain the cause of the blast, which is currently suspected to be a crude bomb, officials said.
- 20 Oct 2024 6:57 AM GMT
Cause behind the blast being ascertained: Delhi Police
"This morning, PS Prashant Vihar received information about a loud blast near CRPF School. The police team reached the spot immediately and found a foul smell. Window panes and glasses in the school premises were broken. Senior police officers reached the spot. Our experts from the Forensic Department, Crime Team and the Special Cell are there and investigating the matter. The cause is being ascertained... It will not be right to give a conclusive statement till the investigation is completed," Delhi Police PRO Sanjay Tyagi.
- 20 Oct 2024 6:25 AM GMT
#WATCH | Delhi: Heavy police deployed and search operation continues outside CRPF School in Rohini's Prashant Vihar area where a blast was heard early in the morning. pic.twitter.com/jhLcx6jp9F
— ANI (@ANI) October 20, 2024
