New Delhi: After the wall of a CRPF school was blown off in a strong explosion in Delhi’s Rohini on Sunday, a multi-agency probe was launched to determine the reason behind the blast. Amid such developments, reports claimed that Delhi cops were probing a possible Khalistani link in the blast.
#WATCH | Delhi: Security officials continue their investigation at the spot where a blast occurred yesterday, outside CRPF School in Prashant Vihar, Rohini. pic.twitter.com/wAh1QqCtn3
— ANI (@ANI) October 21, 2024
The Khalistani link surfaced after a post circulating on social media claimed that the blast was in retaliation to the targeting of pro-Khalistan separatists allegedly by Indian agents, the PTI reported, quoting sources.
‼️CCTV footage of Blast
Just see the intensity of blast… Matter being investigated by the agencies… May be a terror conspiracy?#DelhiBlast #Delhi #Rohini #CRPFSchool https://t.co/aaJ2VMYbpp pic.twitter.com/L3ry55ePd5
— Pooja Sangwan 🇮🇳 (@ThePerilousGirl) October 20, 2024
Some Telegram channels reportedly operating through Pakistan claimed that Khalistani operatives were responsible for the blast. A Telegram channel, Justice League India—reportedly a Pakistani group— shared a purported CCTV footage from the incident site.
A message accompanied the video, claiming that Khalistani operatives were behind the attack. The post also cautioned that the operatives had the capability to strike against India at any time.
#Delhi दिवाली से पहले दिल्ली को दहलाने की साजिश, प्रशांत विहार इलाके के #CRPF के पास #Blast धमाके की गूंज से आस पास के लोग में दहशत, फिल्हाल अभी तक किसी के हताहत होने की खबर नहीं… @DelhiPolice #Blast_L2 pic.twitter.com/rvqkBltnMO
— Srivastava Varun (@varunksrivastav) October 20, 2024
The video was also circulated on many Telegram channels operating via Pakistan. These channels through which the message spread are typically those which used to share TRF updates on terrorist activities in Kashmir, reported India TV.
“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 #KhalistanZindabad #JLI,” (sic) the Justice League India post on Telegram read.
According to reports, Delhi Police has written to Telegram to seek information about a group claiming responsibility for the explosion in a purported social media.
‘Perpetrators may have wanted to send a message….’
Some experts suspect that the Pakistani intelligence agency, ISI, may be behind the attack and were now allegedly using the Khalistan narrative to fuel militancy in India, claimed the India TV report. Sources claimed that the perpetrators may have “intentionally” chosen the spot not to harm the people but to send a message to the authorities.
However, the OdishaBytes couldn’t verify the authenticity of the circulated videos on social media independently.
Meanwhile, a CCTV footage from the blast site has surfaced. In the video, a suspect can be seen at the spot wearing a white T-shirt. The activity was seen at the blast spot the night before the blast, reported the ANI.
The explosive was planted by wrapping it in a polythene bag and planting it in a half to one-foot-deep pit. After planting, the pit was covered with garbage, Delhi Police sources told the ANI.
The bomb, which was an IED likely controlled with a remote or a timer without deadly shrapnel, was most probably placed late at night on Saturday, the Hindustan Times reported. The bomb exploded between 7.35 and 7.40 am on Sunday, locals said. Besides the school wall, some vehicles parked outside were also damaged in the blast.
