A severe explosion occurred at the Nowgam police station in Srinagar, Jammu and Kashmir, around 11:20 PM on Friday night, resulting in the death of nine people and injuries to a total of 27 individuals, including over 20 police personnel.
Jammu and Kashmir: A massive explosion that rocked Nowgam Police Station in Srinagar late Friday night left the entire area shaken. The blast, which occurred at 11:20 PM, claimed the lives of 9 people and injured 27 others, mostly police personnel and forensic officials. The explosion was so powerful that its sound was heard up to 7 kilometers away, and more than 12 vehicles parked within the police station premises caught fire and were incinerated.
The blast occurred when investigating officers were sampling a large quantity of ammonium nitrate and NPS (Nitro-based Powder) recently recovered in connection with a 'white-collar terror module' case. According to officials, the explosives were seized from Faridabad, Haryana.
How Did the Blast Occur?
In a case registered on October 19, police had unearthed a white-collar terror network linked to Jaish-e-Mohammed and Ansar Ghazwat-ul-Hind. Subsequent raids led to the recovery of 2,910 kilograms of ammonium nitrate and NPS from two locations in Faridabad. These explosives were brought to Nowgam Police Station for further investigation and forensic analysis.
According to sources, officers were extracting samples from these very explosives on Friday night when a massive blast suddenly occurred. However, it is not clear whether the entire 2,910 kg of explosives was stored at the police station or if only a portion of it was present there.
Area Sealed, Heavy Deployment of Security Forces
Immediately after the explosion, police sealed the entire Nowgam area and barricaded all roads leading to the police station. No one was allowed to enter the area late into the night. CRPF IG Pawan Kumar Sharma and J&K Police Chief Nalin Prabhat visited the site to assess the situation. The bomb disposal squad is conducting a fresh search operation throughout the area, as smaller explosions also occurred within the premises after the main blast, delaying relief efforts.
Rescue teams immediately transported the injured to various hospitals. Treatment is underway at these hospitals—
- Ujala Cygnus Hospital — 10 injured
- SMHS Hospital, Srinagar
- 92 Base Army Hospital
The Army hospital has been placed on alert to ensure better treatment for critically injured personnel.
