NIA, NSG rush to site after loud blast heard near CRPF school in Delhi's Rohini; multi-agency probe under way

New Delhi: A suspicious blast took place near a CRPF school in Delhi's Rohini area on Sunday morning, triggering panic in the security establishment as it came during the festival season.

No one was injured though the boundary wall and some shops suffered damages in the incident that took place at around 7:45 AM. Panicked locals rushed out as they heard a loud sound and saw thick white smoke billowing out from near the school but were clueless of what happened.

Locals were quoted by PTI as saying that vibrations due to the blast were felt in faraway houses, hundreds of metres away, and there was a "chemical-like" smell at the site and thick white smoke everywhere.

AAP claimed that the incident exposed the "crumbling" law and order in the city with Chief Minister Atishi claiming that it showed that the BJP-led union government is unable to fulfil its responsibility of keeping the Delhiites safe. BJP leader and Leader of Opposition in Delhi Assembly Vijender Gupta visited the spot.

A crime team, Forensic Sciences Laboratory team and a bomb disposal squad rushed to the spot to ascertain the source of explosion in Prashant Vihar area in Rohini where they were joined by senior officials of the National Investigation Agency (NIA) and National Security Guard (NSG).

Delhi Police's Special Cell and Crime Branch officials rushed to the spot after the incident was reported.

Investigators are looking at whether it was a crude bomb or a firecracker and have sent samples to laboratories for ascertaining the nature of the blast.

Forensic teams found some “suspicious white powder” from near the wall of the school where the explosion took place and sent it for further examination along with soil samples taken from the area. The blast site has been cordoned off.

In a statement, Delhi Police said they received a call at 7:47 AM about a “blast with lots of noise” near the CRPF school in Sector 14 of Rohini. It said the Station House Officer and other staff reached the spot and found the school wall “damaged (and there was) with a foul smell”.

It also said the glasses of a nearby shop and a car parked near the shop were also damaged.

Delhi Fire Services (DFS) said they received a call regarding a blast “near the boundary wall” of the school and immediately rushed two fire engines to the spot. It said there was no fire and its vehicles returned later.

Officials said a case has been registered under The Explosives Act and investigators are going through mobile network data and CCTV footage from the area to ascertain whether any suspicious movement happened ahead of the blast.

Police across the capital have been on high alert due to festival season and following the incident foot patrolling has been intensified in crowded places, including markets.