New Delhi, Oct 20 (PTI) A strong blast ripped through a wall of the CRPF school in Rohini's Prashant Vihar area Sunday morning sending shockwaves across the national capital and the country's top investigation agencies to the spot to find clues into the explosion.
A high alert was sounded in the city by police in the wake of the blast.
Initial investigation suggests the blast could have been caused by a crude bomb, police said. No one was hurt in the incident.
Sources in Delhi Police said it was a low-intensity IED (Improvised Explosive Device) controlled with a timer or remote without shrapnel or ball bearings.
It is suspected that perpetrators wanted to send a message to the authorities, though no one has taken responsibility for the blast as yet, a senior police officer told PTI.
According to police and witnesses, the blast, captured in a CCTV camera, destroyed a portion of the school wall, windowpanes of nearby shops, and damaged a few cars parked nearby.
The sound of the blast was heard several hundred metres away.
The bomb might have been placed in the late night, police suspected. It went off between 7.35 and 7.40 am, locals said. The incident comes against the backdrop of a series of bomb threats sent to several airlines in the last few days.
After the explosion, teams from the National Investigation Agency (NIA), National Security Guard (NSG), Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF), and Delhi Police cordoned off the area and forensic experts collected samples from the site.
Videos from the spot showed thick plumes rising from the blast site.
Residents termed the explosion "intense" and reported a foul smell in the area after it.
Anita Singh, a local, had just returned from a temple when she heard the "very loud explosion".
"I felt 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," she said.
"But since today was Sunday, nobody got hurt. I shudder to think about how big a disaster it could have been had it happened during the weekdays," Singh said.
The FSL and NSG teams inspected the spot and lifted samples, while police filed a case under sections of BNS on charges of "mischief through explosion" and under the Explosives Act.
NSG commandos deployed robots to scour the area for more explosive materials.
Samples of "white powder" and soil collected from the spot were sent to the laboratory to ascertain the composition of the bomb.
"The white powder could be a mixture of ammonium nitrate and chloride," a senior police officer said.
The perpetrator "intentionally" selected the spot to not harm the people but to give a message, the officer said.
In a statement, police said they received a PCR call at 7.47 am regarding a loud blast.
People in the area rushed out of their houses and shops after they heard a loud sound.
Sumit, a sunglasses shop owner, said, "My shop's window panes got shattered. Everything inside my shop fell on the ground. It was a very intense blast."
Lt Governor VK Saxena said that a multi-agency probe is on in the incident.
"I am keeping a constant watch on the progress of the investigation and assure that the guilty will be brought to book. Meanwhile, I appeal to all to maintain restrain and not indulge in fearmongering," Saxena said.
Action Committee of Unaided Private Schools President Bharat Arora said the incident is deeply concerning for schools across Delhi and the country.
"It highlights the urgent need for schools to conduct thorough internal security audits and work closely with Delhi Police for support," he said.
Chief Minister Atishi said the blast "exposed" the law and order situation in Delhi.
"The BJP spends most of its time obstructing the work of the elected government in Delhi instead," Atishi said in a post on X.
Leader of Opposition in Delhi Assembly Vijender Gupta termed her statement "irresponsible" and aimed at hiding the failures of her government.