Delhi on alert after blast near CRPF school
A loud explosion near a CRPF school in Sector 14, Rohini, here on Sunday morning sparked a security alert in the national Capital. No casualty was reported. The blast, however, caused damage to nearby structures.
Teams from the National Investigation Agency (NIA), National Security Guard (NSG), Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) and the Delhi Police cordoned off the area and forensic teams collected samples from the site to ascertain the cause of the explosion, which was reported at 7.50 am. The police said the wall of the school, nearby shops and a car were damaged. Security has already been stepped up in Delhi due to the festival season.
The police have registered a case under Section 326(G) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), Section 4 of the Prevention of Damage to Public Property Act, 1984, and Section 3 (causing explosion likely to endanger life or property) of the Explosives Act at the Prashant Vihar police station.
Plumes of smoke could be seen billowing from the spot in purported videos of the incident. Also, two cars were parked near the explosion site and some two-wheelers passed by seconds before the explosion. Local residents said the explosion was “intense” and there was a foul smell in the area after it.
A senior police officer said, “Our forensic team and crime unit are at the spot to collect samples. It could be a firecracker, but we are investigating the matter from all angles.”
Forensic experts found a suspicious “white powder” at the spot and have sent it to the laboratory. “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,” the officer said.
The police said they were checking the CCTV footage of the spot and collecting mobile network data to identify people who were present nearby when the explosion took place.
