Panic after low-intensity blast in Rohini, 1 injured

The blast happened just 100 metres away from the Crime Branch office, with St Margaret High School, PVR Cinemas and MCD office in its around 200 metre radius.

According to the Delhi police, they received a call around 11.41 am Thursday informing them about an explosion in a white powder-like substance at Vir Savarkar Park. Fire department officials said they were informed about a blast around 11.48 am following which four fire tenders were rushed to the location. CCTV footage showed that a blast occurred at 11.33 am, triggering the alarm of a Honda car parked nearby.

The driver, Chetan, 27, was near the tempo at the time of the blast. “Initial probe has revealed that he was sitting in his tempo and smoking bidi. He dumped three bidi butts and an explosion took place when he dumped the fourth bidi butt. He received minor injuries. After questioning locals, it was revealed that around 8-10 days ago, someone had dumped some garbage material near the park … Forensic experts informed the police that they have found similar materials from both (current and previous blast) spots … They are chemical materials, but not explosive materials,” a source said. A team of NIA also visited the spot and joined the investigation with the Delhi Police.

According to investigators, the October 20 explosion is also suspected to have been caused by burning cigarette butts — thrown by a man walking his dog — coming in contact with industrial waste dumped in the garbage. Based on circumstantial evidence, Delhi Police and other central intelligence agencies probing the blast have not found any “terror angle” yet. Police are yet to receive a final forensic examination report of the blast material from the NSG and FSL.

Various teams from the fire department, NSG bomb squad, crime, forensics as well as local police inspected the spot Thursday.

Kalpana Sharma, the owner of Chetan’s tempo, said it was a very loud explosion that rocked the otherwise quiet neighbourhood. “Our tempo had broken down; so, we sent it to a mechanic. The tempo came back around 11 am. He was going to take the tempo to deliver bread to shops. Around 11:30 am, we heard a huge blast. Me and my son came out running and saw that Chetan was bleeding. The smoke almost choked us, and was all over the colony. Our neighbour called the police, and they took him to hospital,” said Kalpana.

Chetan, who hails from Madhya Pradesh, had been living with his employer’s family for a year.

Saurabh, who works at a pharmacy in a nearby market, said the blast happened when most of the shops were still opening up.