Srinagar/New Delhi: An accidental explosion occurred at the Nowgam police station in Srinagar, resulting in the deaths of nine individuals and injuring 32 others, according to senior officials who emphasized that this was not a terrorist act. Jammu and Kashmir Police Director General Nalin Prabhat and MHA Joint Secretary (Kashmir) Prashant Lokhande stated that the incident took place while officials were handling samples from a large stockpile of explosives seized in connection with the Jaish-e-Mohammed ‘white-collar’ terror module case in Faridabad, Haryana. Both officials addressed the media in Srinagar and New Delhi, respectively, to reject speculation of a terror attack, labeling it an unfortunate accident. Neither officer took questions from the press.
Jammu and Kashmir Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha expressed profound sorrow over the fatalities and has initiated an investigation to determine the precise cause of the explosion. The blast occurred around 11:20 pm on Friday as a specialized team was extracting samples from a significant and unstable cache of explosives linked to an ongoing investigation into a ‘white-collar’ terror module. Most of the explosives were securely stored in an open area at the Nowgam police station.
The deceased include Naib Tehsildar Muzaffar Ahmed Khan, Suhail Ahmad Rather from the Revenue Department, Inspector Israr Ahmad Shah from the State Investigation Agency, selection grade constable Aijaz Afzal Mir, constable Mohammad Amin Mir, constable Showkat Ahmad Bhat from the Forensic Science Laboratory, selection grade constable Javaid Mansoor Rather, and constable Arshid Ahmad Shah, who were all part of the police force. Additionally, Mohammad Shafi Parray, a tailor associated with the sampling team, also lost his life in the explosion. Among the injured were 27 police personnel, two revenue officials, and three nearby civilians, all of whom were promptly transported to hospitals. The explosion severely damaged the police station, and subsequent smaller explosions initially hindered rescue efforts.
Political leaders in Jammu and Kashmir expressed their condolences, with L-G Sinha paying respects to the deceased at the Police Control Room, alongside officials including Corps Commander Lt Gen Prashant Srivastava, Chief Secretary Atal Dulloo, and DGP Prabhat. Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, former CM Mehbooba Mufti, People’s Conference president Sajad Lone, and Democratic Progressive Azad Party chief Ghulam Nabi Azad also conveyed their sympathies to the grieving families.
