Jafrabad Metro station: Blast-like sound triggers panic; no injuries

New Delhi: Panic gripped commuters at the Jafrabad Metro station in north-east Delhi briefly on Thursday evening after a blast-like sound was heard on a Metro line towards Burari, officials said.

According to police, on receiving information at 6:05 pm, teams from the CISF and the local police rushed to the spot and initiated evacuation procedures.

A senior officer said that the passengers present at the station were safely evacuated as a precautionary measure, and no injuries or casualties were reported.

“Preliminary investigation revealed that the sounds were caused due to a kite string (‘manja’) getting entangled between two overhead power cables of the Metro line, leading to a minor spark and a small fire,” the officer said.

“Some children were flying kites nearby and a ‘manja’ got stuck between the Metro power lines, which caused a minor blast-like sound and a small fire,” a senior police officer said.

“The situation was quickly brought under control and normalcy was restored after ensuring that there was no further risk to passengers or infrastructure,” he added.

The Central Industrial Security Force (CISF), which is responsible for Metro security, conducted an inspection of the site along with Delhi Police and ruled out any foul play.

Metro services on the line were briefly impacted but resumed shortly after the safety checks were completed.

The authorities have urged people to refrain from flying kites near Metro infrastructure, as such activities can pose serious safety risks.