Explosion at CRPF school in Delhi: Residents remember stench, clouds of smoke and fear | Latest Delhi News

The low-intensity explosion on Sunday morning in Rohini, northwest Delhi, left residents, shopkeepers and neighbors shocked and scared. Recounting the incident, residents said that an unpleasant smell emanated from the building, thick clouds of smoke and a loud thud engulfed the area.

The impact of the explosion – outside the CRPF school – could be seen in at least half a dozen neighboring shops which damaged windows, panels and banners. Cars that were parked at the market and near the school also suffered damage. Residents and passengers ran into the buildings when they heard noises and smelled a bad smell.

After the explosion, residents complained about security in the national capital and expressed fear as they believed the incident could have been fatal.

Ajay Kumar, who lives near the school, said, “Initially, I thought it was a flat tire, but when I went to the school, I found chaos and police barricading the area. The air was filled with smoke. My eyes were watering. I got scared and took my daughter inside. We don’t know what happened. It is less than 50 meters from my house. I hope everyone is safe.”

Another resident said he was taking a morning walk when he heard the noise. “At first I thought it was a LPG cylinder explosion. I went to the location and saw that it was outside a school. I immediately called the police and fire department. Many stores were damaged. Fortunately, only a few people were around and they all ran to safety,” he said.

In addition, stores in the neighborhood suffered damage. Sumit Sharma, owner of a shop in the locality, said that the windows of his shop were damaged due to the blast.

“I received several calls in the morning about the explosion and I was scared. I was supposed to open the store at 10am, but I ran early. I saw that the sign was damaged and some products inside it fell to the floor. The window panes were completely broken. My family forced me to return. I’m scared if it’s safe to go back. The police didn’t tell us anything. It was an explosion of strong intensity,” he said.

Rakesh Gupta, a resident who also runs a shop in the area, said, “We heard a loud noise and smoke and locked ourselves in. However, we saw police coming out of the houses and running through the area. We are very confused. Was it a terrorist attack? Was it a prank or a rocket? I hope the police are seriously investigating the matter. Our lives could be in danger.”

Meanwhile, school officials were also shocked by the incident. The administration told HT that the school will remain open on Monday following special security checks conducted by police, central agencies and canine squads.

Bharat Arora, Chairman, Action Committee on Unaided Private Schools (ACUPS) said, “This incident is deeply worrying for Delhi schools as well as the country. It highlights the urgent need for schools to carry out full internal security audits and work closely with the Delhi Police for support. It is essential that school boundaries remain free from unauthorized parking, transit/truck sites, taxis and rickshaws, hawkers and other encroachments to ensure the safety of our students. These vulnerabilities pose serious risks and there can be no compromises when it comes to student safety. We are committed to working with the Delhi Police and other security agencies to protect our students and the wider community.”