Ghaziabad: An explosion at a police outposton Friday nightis being investigated as a possible terrorist attack after a social media post and video by a little-known outfit called it “an operation against the Hindu fascist govt”.The blast rocked Vasundhara police outpost around 9pm on Friday, shattering its windowpanes, damaging ACs and leaving cracks in its walls. Sub-inspector Vikas Kumar, who was inside the post at the time, escaped unhurt, while Ishan, who had come to deliver a food order, sustained minor lacerations to his face and head.Police initially suspected the blast was caused either by an air-conditioner malfunction or by seized illegal firecrackers that were stored at the outpost. But later in the night, the post on X from Tehreek-ul-Mujahideen Hindustan claiming responsibility for the explosion triggered a massive security response.What caused the blast is yet to be determined.The post, shared on X around 2.30am on Saturday from an account named ‘Ghazi 2’, carried a video message featuring a masked man speaking in Urdu and Hindi and a statement in English bearing the outfit’s name and two black circular insignias featuring swords.It called the explosion “an attack on police” and an “answer” to the “system that locks our women and children in detention camps in Assam… sends bulldozers through our neighbourhoods”. The post warned that the outfit would be “back soon with a new operation and message”.UP’s anti-terrorism squad (ATS) has opened an investigation led by DIG Abhishek Yadav. On Saturday, teams from the special task force (STF), Intelligence Bureau (IB), a specialised investigation unit of Delhi Police and National Investigation Agency (NIA) also inspected the site.According to police, the account used to upload the post has since been deleted. A cyber police unit is now tracking the digital trail to identify the original post, investigators said they were ter to determine if the outfit and the blast are actually connected.Also under probe are claims that explosive material may have been thrown from Hindon Elevated Road, which overlooks the outpost, and whether its positioning does allow someone to target the building from above. The road runs approximately 35 feet above ground level. Police are scrutinising CCTV cameras installed along the elevated road and surrounding routes.A Delhi-registered scooter found abandoned on the elevated road 1.5km from the outpost was seized but no connection was established with the blast.According to sources, its owner, Delhi resident Momin, voluntarily appeared before police to assist with the inquiry and told them the scooter had developed a snag while he was on his way to his house in Mayur Vihar, forcing him to leave it on the elevated road. Officials said Momin’s statements were being verified.DCP (Trans-Hindon) Rijul Kumar said investigators had not found traces of explosive material, gunpowder or chemical residue at the scene during the initial examination. He, however, confirmed that the explosion had damaged two windowpanes and caused a crack in a wall of the outpost.Ghaziabad police commissioner J Ravinder Goud said police were awaiting scientific evidence before reaching any conclusion about the explosion. “The bomb disposal squad, field unit and forensic team inspected the spot. The cause of the explosion has not yet been established. We are investigating every angle, and further action will be based on the facts,” Goud said. He added that police were on high alert after the blast and samples collected from the site were sent to Agra’s forensic laboratory for analysis.Police sources said the outfit has not been heard of before but bears the stamp of the ISI-Shehzad Bhati network. Bhati had earlier floated a similar-sounding group, Tehreek-e-Taliban Hindustan, which allegedly targeted police personnel and stations in Punjab. UP ATS recently unravelled an alleged Bhati-linked module operating in the state that tapped common people over social media for surveillance by paying them small sums of money, a case later transferred to NIA.Based on a complaint by sub-inspector Vikas Singh, an FIR was registered at Indirapuram police station under the Explosives Act, 1884, Public Property Damages Act and BNS sections 326(f and g) – fire or explosives causing property damage, destroying dwellings or places of worship – and 132 (assault or criminal force to deter a public servant from discharging their duty).
