Tragic Blast at Nowgam Police Station Shakes Community

An accidental explosion at the Nowgam police station in Srinagar resulted in nine deaths and 32 injuries. Officials stress it's not a terror attack but an unfortunate incident during a forensic examination of explosives. A probe has been ordered to determine the cause.

An accidental explosion at the Nowgam police station in Srinagar has claimed nine lives and injured 32 more, according to senior officials. Though initially suspected to be a terror attack, authorities clarified the blast was an accident during a forensic sample extraction from a large, unstable cache of confiscated explosives.

Director General of Jammu and Kashmir Police Nalin Prabhat and Joint Secretary, Ministry of Home Affairs, Prashant Lokhande, addressed the media to dismiss rumors of foul play, highlighting it as a tragic incident. The explosion occurred around 11:20 pm on Friday as forensic teams were carefully handling sensitive materials.

A probe has been ordered by Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha to ascertain the cause of the blast. The materials in question weighed approximately 360 kg and included substances like ammonium nitrate and potassium nitrate. The investigation into the white-collar terror module that amassed these explosives is ongoing, with several arrests already made.