Srinagar: A fierce late-night explosion tore through the Nowgam police station on the outskirts of Srinagar on Friday, killing nine people and leaving at least 29 injured, according to officials familiar with the incident.
The explosion erupted inside the building where a cache of seized explosives had been kept for forensic and investigative purposes. The materials had been recovered in Haryana during a probe linked to a terror module suspected of involvement in the Red Fort blast case, and later transferred to Jammu and Kashmir for further investigation.
Personnel from the State Investigative Agency (SIA) were present at the station when the blast occurred, as the agency had recently assumed charge of the wider investigation. Authorities said the explosives appeared to have detonated accidentally, though a detailed inquiry is now underway.
The blast unleashed a fast-spreading fire that gutted portions of the police station and set several nearby vehicles ablaze. The shockwave was strong enough to be felt kilometres away, prompting immediate emergency response from fire and rescue teams.
The tragedy comes amid heightened security activity in the region. Just weeks earlier, police had launched an investigation after posters carrying threats to security forces—allegedly issued in the name of Jaish-e-Mohammad—appeared across the Bunpora area of Nowgam. That probe led officers to uncover a terror network with connections reaching beyond Jammu and Kashmir, resulting in the seizure of the explosives now at the centre of Friday’s deadly accident.
Authorities have cordoned off the area and begun a thorough assessment of structural damage while forensic teams examine the blast site. The injured are receiving treatment at various city hospitals, with officials warning that the casualty count could rise.
Further updates are expected as the investigation progresses.
