Jammu: A catastrophic accidental explosion rocked the Nowgam police station near Srinagar, Jammu and Kashmir, late on Friday night, leading to the tragic deaths of nine individuals and injuring 29 others. The blast occurred as police and forensic teams were extracting samples from a huge cache of explosives linked to a ‘white-collar’ terror module case from Faridabad, Haryana.
Eye-witness CCTV footage showed the sudden eruption, with thick smoke billowing and flames engulfing the police station. The force of the explosion sent debris flying up to 300 metres away, with some residents as far as 15 kilometres reporting feeling the blast. Several vehicles at the site were also engulfed in flames.
The Nowgam police have been involved in cracking the case involving terror group Jaish-e-Mohammed, making the ongoing investigation critical to regional security. Sources confirmed that the seized explosives were being handled carefully before the accident.
Emergency services rushed to the scene following the blast to battle the fires and tend to the wounded. The injured were swiftly transported to hospitals for treatment.
Investigations are underway to determine the exact cause of the explosion, though initial reports suggest it was accidental during the evidence extraction process.
This incident has deeply shocked the local community and exposed the risks faced by law enforcement in handling dangerous materials in terror cases. Authorities have promised a detailed inquiry and reinforced safety protocols to prevent such tragedies in future operations.
As the investigation continues, the police station remains cordoned off, with security measures heightened across the region to ensure public safety.