Pro-Khalistani outfit claims responsibility for Delhi school blast: Report

Forensic teams at the scene discovered a suspicious white powder, suspected to be a mixture of ammonium nitrate and chloride.

A pro-Khalistani group has claimed responsibility for the blast that occurred near a CRPF school in Rohini, New Delhi, on Sunday. The explosion, which occurred early morning, filled the air with a chemical-like odour and produced thick white smoke, alarming residents in the nearby Paschim Vihar area.

Delhi Police, as per an India Today report, are investigating a possible connection to Khalistani separatists after a Telegram post from the group claimed the blast was in retaliation for alleged targeting of their members by Indian agencies. The post featured a video of the explosion with a "Khalistan Zindabad" watermark and contained a warning to Indian authorities about their capabilities, states the report.

In its message on the social media platform, the pro-Khalistani group wrote, "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".

As per sources in the police, cited in the report, the blast was caused by a low-intensity improvised explosive device (IED), likely controlled by a timer or remote, and no shrapnel was used. Authorities confirmed that no injuries were reported, although nearby buildings and vehicles sustained damage.

Shortly after the explosion, teams from the National Investigation Agency (NIA), National Security Guard (NSG), and Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) secured the area and began gathering evidence. Following a review of the CCTV footage, the Delhi Police, on Monday morning, revealed finding a suspect in a "white T-shirt" the night before at the site of the explosion.

The police have also registered a case under multiple sections, including the Explosives Act. Forensic teams at the scene discovered a suspicious white powder, suspected to be a mixture of ammonium nitrate and chloride. This substance, along with soil samples, has been sent to a laboratory for further analysis.

The police are investigating the possibility that the explosive device used in the incident was a crude bomb. To enhance safety measures and search for any remaining explosive materials, NSG commandos have deployed robots in the area.