NEW DELHI: In between the crime scene and “Do not enter” tape of the Delhi Police was probably a 100-metre-long road that became an area of intense scrutiny after a mild-intensity explosion ripped off on Thursday, triggering panic among the residents.
The road had five important public places - St. Margaret Senior Secondary School, the Office of the Crime Branch of the Delhi Police, a Post Office, Veer Savarkar Park and PVR cinema hall.
All seemed normal with children going to school, the Crime Branch office was functioning normally and the PVR cinema had attendance was full for the newly released Bollywood movie Bhool Bhulaiyaa 3.
At 11:46 am, people heard sound of a blast just outside the gate of the Veer Savarkar Park. A milk van driver had parked his vehicle close to the gate and was sitting on the pavement, just a meter away from the blast site.
“After hearing the loud sound I rushed out of my house. Initially, I thought that an LPG cylinder had exploded but then I saw smoke close to our milk van and its driver coughing badly,” said Kalpana Sharma, who was into the business of milk delivery and owned the goods carrier.
The driver, Chetan Kushwaha, had received minor injuries and was rushed to the hospital. The police personnel rushed out to help from the Crime Branch office while the security guards of PVR cinema (FunCity Mall) also came to extend a helping hand.
The hustle-bustle of the road turned into a major crime scene with Black Cat Commandoes (NSG) scanning the area with sniffer dogs and bomb disposal squads. A white powder was found strewn on the road.
While the NSG officers were seen examining the blast site, the Delhi Police personnel went door-to-door on all nearby streets to question the dwellers.
Locals were panic-stricken following the blast and demanded thorough inquiry. Fear had gripped people as they looked anxiously at the blast site and NSG commandos from a distance.
"Two incidents within weeks - what is happening to our neighborhood?” asked Anuj Singh, a long-time resident.
The atmosphere in the locality remained tense and parents expressed frustration over the recurring incidents.
“Our homes are supposed to be safe, but now every loud sound makes us jump,” said Pritam Singh, another resident of the area. The affected area is surrounded by residential buildings and the incident has left families on edge.
Many recalled the earlier blast on October 20 near a CRPF school boundary wall in the same locality. A probe is underway to ascertain more details about the explosion which happened nearly 40 days after an explosion took place at a CRPF school in Prashant Vihar area of Rohini, the officer said.