Minor Noida blast spreads panic

NEW DELHI: A minor explosion in a Noida dustbin sent shockwaves in the national capital region (NCR) on Friday as it brought back memories of the September serial blasts in Delhi. The low-intensity blast injured two ragpickers.

Police said it could be firecrackers but sent all the “material collected” from the bin for forensic testing.

“It could have been a firecracker but we have not reached any conclusion yet. There were no prior intelligence inputs or warnings, either,” superintendent of police AK Tripathi said.

Ragpickers Monu, 8, and Golu, 6, stumbled upon a “bomb” in the dustbin in the posh sector 22, which exploded soon after. Their father, who sells fruits nearby, rushed to the blast site, only to find two fingers of Monu’s right hand missing and Golu with minor injuries.

A bomb disposal unit combed the entire area and searches were carried out across Noida, especially in dustbins, but no more bombs were found. During the Delhi blasts, bombs were planted in dustbins.

In the last 20 months, at least seven such low-intensity blasts have occurred in NCR.