NEW DELHI, Oct 21: Delhi Police are investigating a potential Khalistani angle in the blast near a CRPF school in Prashant Vihar, Rohini, and have reached out to the messaging app Telegram to obtain information on a group that claimed responsibility for the explosion, according to police sources.
The blast, which occurred on Sunday morning, caused significant damage to a wall of the CRPF school. Fortunately, no injuries were reported, but the explosion shattered the signboards, hoardings of nearby shops, and window panes of vehicles parked in the vicinity.
An FIR filed by the police, which has been accessed by PTI, mentions the discovery of a “white powder” at the site. The blast was reportedly caused by an “unknown explosive substance.” The police have also recovered CCTV footage showing a suspect wearing a white T-shirt the night before the blast.
A message circulated on Telegram by a group called “Justice League India” claimed responsibility for the blast, stating it was retaliation against the Indian government’s alleged targeting of pro-Khalistani separatists. The message, which featured a “Khalistan Zindabad” watermark, warned of future attacks, stating: “If Indian coward agency and their master think they can hire filthy goons to target our members to silence our voice then they live in fools world. They can’t imagine how close we are to them and how capable we are to strike anytime.”
The Delhi Police have requested Telegram to provide details of the group’s creator as part of their ongoing investigation. Sources indicate that the suspect may have planted an Improvised Explosive Device (IED), wrapped in a plastic bag, in a one-foot-deep pit near the CRPF school wall.
On Monday, a team from the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) visited the site, and forensic teams from the National Security Guard (NSG) and Forensic Science Laboratory (FSL) also inspected the area. Robots were deployed to search for additional explosives. The NSG suspects that the “white powder” found could be a mixture of ammonium nitrate and chloride.
The FIR filed under Sections 326(g) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, the Prevention of Damage to Public Property Act, and the Explosives Act details that the blast resulted in a loud noise and smoke near the school’s boundary wall. The explosion left a visible hole in the wall and caused damage to the nearby shops and vehicles.
Police collected samples of the white powder and soil from the scene for further analysis. The NSG and forensic teams are working to determine the exact composition of the explosive used. Authorities suspect that the perpetrator deliberately chose a location that would not result in casualties but would send a clear message.
The Delhi Police Special Cell, Crime Branch, and local police teams continue to investigate the incident, seeking to identify those responsible and uncover any further threats related to the attack.