A powerful late-night explosion at the Nowgam Police Station in Srinagar on Friday has triggered a sweeping investigation across Jammu and Kashmir’s security and forensic apparatus. Director General of Police Nalin Prabhat on Saturday described the incident as an “accidental explosion,” urging the public and media to avoid speculation while the probe continues. According to Prabhat, the blast occurred around 11.20 pm as forensic specialists were carefully extracting samples from a large cache of explosive materials recently seized in Faridabad as part of the unfolding ‘white-collar’ terror module case.
The explosion caused massive damage to the police station and neighbouring structures, and killed nine members of the investigation and magistrate teams. Those who lost their lives include an SIA personnel, three FSL experts, two crime-scene photographers, two revenue officials and a tailor assisting the team.
The blast has underscored a worrying chain of events linked to recent terror-related recoveries. The explosives under examination were part of the same seizures connected to last week’s Faridabad raids, which uncovered nearly 2,900 kg of ammonium nitrate. Investigators have also drawn connections between these busts and the Delhi Red Fort i20 car bombing that killed ten people earlier this week. Security around Nowgam has since been tightened.
