A low-intensity blast occurred near PVR Prashant Vihar in Delhi's Rohini area on Thursday morning, leaving one person injured, police said. The explosion took place in front of a sweet shop near a park, not far from the location of a similar explosion that occurred on October 20, when a strong blast had ripped through a wall of a CRPF school.
According to the Delhi Police, they received a call at 11:47 am reporting the explosion in front of Bansi Wala sweet shop in Prashant Vihar. Chetan Kushwaha, 28, the driver of a three-wheeler parked nearby, sustained minor injuries. He was immediately taken to the hospital and discharged after receiving treatment, police confirmed.
Upon arrival, authorities cordoned off the entire area, and a bomb detection team, a dog squad, police, and Delhi Fire Services were dispatched to the site. White powder was recovered from the location, although the exact nature of the substance and the cause of the explosion remain under investigation.
At the time of the blast, film screenings were ongoing inside the nearby PVR multiplex, where panic ensued as thick smoke engulfed the area. Eyewitnesses, including Mahinder Singh, who runs a food stall nearby, described the explosion as loud, with the smoke causing irritation to their eyes and throats. "We are all feeling extremely unsafe," Singh said, expressing concern over the frequency of such incidents in the area.
Sources have noted that the explosion was similar to the one outside the CRPF school on October 20, with similar white powder found at both sites. In response to the incident, Delhi Chief Minister Atishi condemned the blast, accusing the BJP-led central government of failing to maintain law and order in the capital. She linked the recent explosions to a breakdown in safety measures and law enforcement.
Atishi also called out Union Home Minister Amit Shah, alleging negligence in ensuring the safety of Delhi’s citizens, highlighting the recurrence of such incidents in the same locality over the past two months. The police continue their investigation into the cause of the blast, but residents remain on edge as the search for answers continues.