Normalcy returns, but fear persists among Delhi’s Prashant Vihar locals

New Delhi: On Monday, the spot in Prashant Vihar, where an explosion took place on Sunday, seems to be back to normal. Nevertheless, fear still grips the residents of the locality. After Sunday’s blast outside the CRPF School in Prashant Vihar, security has been beefed up by the CRPF men and Delhi Police officers who have been stationed outside the school. Still, parents are very cautious while sending their children to school in this area.

The traffic outside the school was moving normally, but attendance at Lancer Public School nearby witnessed a marked decline on Monday. Surendra Singh, the school taxi driver, used to bring as many as 20 students to Lancer Public School daily, but only 7 students showed up on Monday. Another driver, Inderjit Singh, who usually brings 7 students, said only 3 appeared. All shops stand shut on the frontline in front of the CRPF School. On the other hand, all other businesses here are carrying on with normal activities.

On Sunday, the schools had closed for the weekend, which spares what otherwise would have been a catastrophic tragedy. This is a blast site situated just a hundred meters from another private school and has more than 6,000 combined enrolled students. On normal days, the area is congested with cars, buses, and students. “If this was on a school day, it would be worse. Panic would set in and stampede.”

The Delhi police said on Monday that they are probing pro-Khalistan groups over the blast, with reports indicating that a Telegram channel linked to such groups had shared CCTV footage of the incident. The footage was posted along with a message ‘warning’ India. Sources have revealed that the police have written to Telegram, requesting information about the group behind the post. Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP), Rohini, Amit Goel, said, “It’s too early to say anything at this moment; the inquiry is in progress.”

The explosive was suspected to be a crude bomb, and some pieces of potassium chlorate, hydrogen peroxide, and electrical wires were found on the spot. The NIA will soon formally take over the case from Delhi Police for further investigation.

The Delhi Police and other security agencies have sounded alert to their units in the wake of the incident.

CRPF School has four gates. The blast happened just a few feet away from Gate Number 1. It was further mentioned that most students enter the school through this very gate. The parents showed concern, stating that security personnel were indeed available in the school. However, there was not enough vigilance at the gate and places around it.

On the one hand, there is a police booth at a distance of 200 meters from the school, while Prashant Vihar Police Station and Rohini Court are within 500 meters from the blast site. Locals are questioning the effectiveness of security measures, labelling it a failure by the police and agencies, despite police claims of significantly increased security around schools.

The blast occurred at the DDA market, known for its busy weekends, though the timing in the morning helped prevent major casualties. Shops within a 200-metre radius were closed. Increased security is now in place around schools in Rohini, Prashant Vihar, and Pitampura, with private guards on high alert and CCTV cameras being checked.