A massive explosion inside the Nowgam police station in Srinagar, late Friday night killed nine people and left 27 injured, many of them police personnel and forensic specialists. The blast occurred while teams were examining explosive material recently seized in a major terror-related operation spanning Jammu & Kashmir and Haryana.
The detonation took place around 11:20 pm, when officials were extracting and analysing samples from a cache of explosive chemicals. The material had been recovered days earlier from a rented flat in Faridabad, where investigators uncovered nearly 360 kilograms of bomb-making substances, including ammonium nitrate, potassium nitrate, sulphur and other components used in improvised explosive devices.
Much of the seized stock had been stored at the Nowgam police station, where the primary case was registered. A portion had already been sent to a forensic laboratory, but the remaining quantity was still being tested on site when the explosion occurred. The impact was severe, causing structural damage to parts of the police station, destroying vehicles in the compound, and triggering smaller secondary blasts that made rescue efforts more difficult.
Emergency teams rushed the injured to hospitals across Srinagar, where several remain in critical condition. The bodies of those killed have been shifted to the Police Control Room for identification and further formalities.
Investigators believe the explosion was most likely accidental, triggered during the sampling of highly volatile substances. However, a detailed inquiry has been launched to examine whether all safety protocols were followed during the transport, storage, and handling of the explosive material. Senior officers have sealed off the site and forensic experts are assessing the extent of the damage.
