Loud blast heard near CRPF school in Delhi's Rohini; fire trucks, bomb squad, police rush to spot
New Delhi(PTI): A loud blast took place near a CRPF school in Prashant Vihar area in Delhi's Rohini on Sunday morning. No one was injured in the incident, officials said.
A bomb squad and a police forensic team have been rushed to the spot near the CRPF school, Sector 14, Rohini to ascertain the source of the explosion that was reported around 7.50 am.
Senior police officers, including from the crime branch and the Special Cell, as well as the fire brigade reached the spot.
Police said the wall of the school, nearby shops and a car received damage and the area has been cordoned off.
Plumes of smoke could be seen billowing from the spot. A purported video of the aftermath of the explosion also surfaced on social media showing thick dense white smoke.
Delhi Fire Services (DFS) said they received a call regarding a blast "near the boundary wall" of the CRPF school.
"We immediately rushed two fire engines to the spot. There was no fire and no one was injured due to the blast, so our vehicle returned," DFS officials said.
A senior police officer said, "Our forensic team and crime unit are at the spot to collect samples from the blast location. It could be a firecracker, but we are investigating the entire matter from all angles," the officer said.
Police said they are checking the CCTV footage of the spot.
In a statement, police said they received a PCR call at 7.47 am regarding a loud blast.
"SHO of Prashant Vihar and staff reached the spot, where the school wall was found damaged with a foul smell. The glasses of a nearby shop and a car parked near the shop were found to be damaged. No one was injured," they said.
"A crime team, Forensic Science Laboratory (FSL) team and bomb disposal squad are called to the spot. The crime spot has been cordoned off. A fire brigade team is on the spot," it said.
Police said they are trying to ascertain the cause of the blast.
Another senior police officer said, "Our bomb disposal teams are checking the nearby area. We have also sounded an alert to nearby police stations to increase vigil and checking. Foot patrolling has also been intensified in different markets. We request everyone to inform the police immediately if they see any suspected item."
People in the area rushed out of their houses and shops after they heard the blast.
"It was around 7.30 am when we heard a very loud noise. We thought that an LPG cylinder exploded nearby. We immediately informed the police and the fire brigade about the matter. Many glass panes of several shops got shattered," a local resident said.
Rakesh Gupta, who lives nearby, said people came out of their houses immediately after the explosion. "We are very confused about what has happened. Police teams are investigating," Gupta said.
Sumit, who runs a sunglasses shop very close to the blast spot, said, "My window panes got shattered. Everything inside my shop fell on the ground. It was a very intense blast," he said.
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Sanjay Raut demands re-election, alleges irregularities in EVMs during Maharashtra polls
Mumbai, Nov 25: Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Sanjay Raut on Monday demanded a re-election in Maharashtra using ballot papers, claiming there were irregularities with the electronic voting machines (EVMs).
Talking to reporters, Raut alleged several complaints about EVMs malfunctioning and questioned the integrity of the recently held elections.
The BJP-led Mahayuti won 230 out of 288 seats in the assembly elections, while the opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi managed 46 seats, with Shiv Sena (UBT) winning just 20 out of 95 seats it contested.
"We have received nearly 450 complaints regarding EVMs. Despite raising objections repeatedly, no action has been taken on these issues. How can we say these elections were conducted fairly? Hence, I demand that the results be set aside and elections be held again using ballot papers," Raut said.
Citing some instances, he said a candidate in Nashik reportedly received only four votes despite having 65 votes from his family, while in Dombivli, discrepancies were found in EVM tallies, and election officials refused to acknowledge the objections.
The Sena (UBT) leader also questioned the credibility of the landslide victories of some candidates, saying, "What revolutionary work have they done to receive more than 1.5 lakh votes? Even leaders who recently switched parties have become MLAs. This raises suspicions. For the first time, a senior leader like Sharad Pawar has expressed doubts about EVMs, which cannot be ignored."
Asked about the MVA's poor performance in the elections, Raut rejected the idea of blaming a single individual.
"We fought as a united MVA. Even a leader like Sharad Pawar, who commands immense respect in Maharashtra, faced defeat. This shows that we need to analyse the reasons behind the failure. One of the reasons is EVM irregularities and the misuse of the system, unconstitutional practices, and even judicial decisions left unresolved by Justice Chandrachud," he said.
Raut stressed that though internal differences might have existed within the MVA, the failure was collective.
He also accused the Mahayuti of conducting the elections in an unfair manner.
"I cannot call the elections fair given the numerous reports of discrepancies in EVMs, mismatched numbers, and vote irregularities across the state," Raut said.
