A crude bomb went off near Kendriya Vidyalaya-3 on Friday morning even as Bhubaneswar remained under a tight security blanket for President Droupadi Murmu’s visit.
The blast occurred around 7.45am, hours before the President left the city around 10am, and although unrelated to her visit, it exposed glaring security lapses.
The incident echoed in the state Assembly, where Speaker Surama Padhy directed the government to submit a report after BJD MLA Pratap Keshari Deb raised the issue during Zero Hour.
A National Investigation Agency (NIA) team rushed to the spot near the school at Gadakana, about 8km from Raj Bhavan where the President was staying, and began an investigation.
Sources said unidentified men arrived on a motorcycle, allegedly hurled the crude bomb and fled. No casualties were reported, though a portion of the school gate was damaged.
“The school gate was closed by 7.30am and all the children had entered the premises. There was a terrible sound during the bomb blast. We are all very scared,” said a student’s parent.
Commissionerate police have launched a probe and collected metal splinters, iron nails and other remnants from the spot.
Assistant commissioner of police Biswa Ranjan Senapati said: “We are examining the CCTV recordings...”