Another low-intensity blast near Rohini triggers scare; one injured
A low-intensity explosion, less than a kilometre from the site of a similar blast reported last month, injured a 25-year-old man and triggered a security scare.
A low-intensity explosion near a public park in Prashant Vihar, northwest Delhi on Thursday injured a 25-year-old man and triggered a security scare, less than a kilometre from the site of a similar blast reported last month, police officers said.
Investigators said they are trying to identify the motive and those responsible for the explosion, which occurred at around 11.30am near a busy market and several schools.
The Delhi Police, joined by the bomb disposal squad, the National Investigation Agency, the National Security Guard, and forensics experts, reached the site to examine evidence. They recovered a “white powder” residue, similar to the substance found at the site of an earlier blast on October 20 near CRPF School, just a block away.
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Investigators probing the present case say that the two blasts are similar, as the material used to make the explosive unit “appeared” to be the same.
“In the October blast too, a similar white powder residue was recovered from the spot. In this blast as well, white powder has been lifted by forensics team,” a senior police officer said, asking not to be named.
Chief minister Atishi condemned the incident, which she said has come after multiple other crimes were recently reported across the city, including murder and extortion, and raises doubts on the state of law and order in the national capital.
The injured man, identified as Chetan Kumar, sustained injuries to his face and left ear and underwent treatment.
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Police were informed about the explosion through a call to their control room at 11.47am. “After the call, local police, forensics team, crime team, fire tender and ambulance instantly reached the spot at PVR Road. It was found that a very mild intensity explosion occurred near the wall of a small park,” the spokesperson of Delhi Police said in a statement.
Investigators said they are scanning CCTV camera footage to ascertain the sequence of events, however, there was no camera that was covering the site of the blast. “A few people who were standing near the spot were questioned to ascertain if they saw any suspicious activity,” a third officer said.
The injured man was also questioned but “nothing fruitful was revealed”, the officer said.
Eyewitnesses reported a loud noise followed by a cloud of white smoke.
“It was around 11.30 am. I was in my office and I heard a loud sound. I came outside and saw a while cloud right across the street. Initially, we thought it was a cylinder or vehicle battery explosion, but later realised it was a bomb blast,” said 55-year-old Satpal Jain, a property dealer whose shop is near the scene.
Jain said the explosion occurred between a green tempo truck and a white car.
“A man who was sitting inside the tempo truck got injured,” he said.
The forensic team lifted exhibits, including a thick ball of white powder which did not explode. “There was no device involved in this blast—just like the one in October,” a forensics official said.
Following the incident, Atishi slammed the Centre, under which Delhi Police works. “The people of Delhi are already living in fear due to the rising cases of murder, extortion, and loot, and now a blast...Home Minister Amit Shah Ji, please wake up and fulfil your responsibility,” she wrote in a post on X.