By Harshit
SRINAGAR, Nov. 15 —
A powerful explosion at the Nowgam police station in Srinagar late Friday night killed nine people and injured at least 32 others, after a stockpile of confiscated explosives accidentally detonated inside the premises, officials said. The blast, which tore through the building shortly after 11:20 p.m. local time, also damaged nearby homes and left several vehicles burned beyond recognition.
Authorities stressed that the explosion was not a terror attack, but an accident triggered during the handling of explosives that had been seized earlier in the week in Haryana. Still, the scale of destruction has reignited debates over storage protocols, forensic safety procedures, and the risks police personnel face in conflict-sensitive regions like Jammu and Kashmir.
Confiscated Explosives Ignite During Handling
According to Director General of Police Nalin Prabhat, the explosives—recently transported from Faridabad for forensic examination—were being manually transferred when a mishandling event triggered a devastating chain reaction.
“It was a very unfortunate accident. These materials were being processed for routine forensic analysis,” Prabhat said during a midnight briefing. “There is absolutely no indication of any terror involvement. Any speculation to the contrary is unnecessary.”
Officials confirmed the blast occurred at 23:20 IST (17:50 GMT) and immediately engulfed parts of the police station in flames. Rescue teams encountered mangled metal, collapsed walls, and a courtyard littered with debris.
Most of the victims were on-duty police officers, forensic experts, and two crime-scene photographers who were assisting the processing of the confiscated materials. A tailor present at the station was also killed.
Scenes of Heavy Destruction
The impact of the explosion was so powerful that window panes shattered across the neighborhood, and tremors were felt up to 200 meters away. Emergency responders described the site as “strewn with charred vehicles” and remnants of police equipment.
Local residents reported waking up to a deafening blast followed by plumes of thick smoke rising from the station.
The intensity was such that some body parts were found in residential areas 100–200 meters away, according to a police source quoted by Reuters.
Fire tenders rushed to the spot, battling flames that engulfed multiple vehicles parked near the compound. Videos taken moments after the blast show the police station façade blown open, with chunks of concrete scattered across the street.
A Region on Edge After Delhi Blast
The accident comes just days after a deadly car explosion outside the Red Fort Metro Station in Delhi, which killed at least eight people and triggered a nationwide alert. Although unrelated, the Kashmir blast intensified public anxiety as security agencies have been on heightened vigilance across northern India.
Authorities were quick to emphasize that the Nowgam explosion had no terror links, hoping to prevent panic in a region accustomed to decades of conflict and bomb-related violence.
Official Response and Investigation Ordered
Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha expressed deep anguish over the tragedy and ordered a high-level investigation to determine the exact sequence of events and identify lapses in safety protocols.
“I have ordered a probe to ascertain the cause of the accidental explosion,” Sinha said. “Deeply anguished by the loss of precious lives due to this extremely tragic incident. My condolences to the bereaved families, and I pray for the speedy recovery of the injured.”
The government is expected to review the storage and transport procedures for explosives seized in criminal cases, particularly in sensitive zones.
Internal sources suggested that the materials were being prepared for court documentation and forensic analysis, raising questions about whether proper safety distances, shields, and containment chambers were in place.
Hospitals on Emergency Footing
Medical authorities in Srinagar said 32 injured individuals were admitted across multiple facilities, including SMHS Hospital and SKIMS.
Five victims were reported to be in critical condition as of Saturday morning, suffering severe burns, inhalation injuries, and blast trauma.
Families rushed to hospitals overnight seeking information about missing relatives. Police have established a help desk to coordinate identification efforts and provide support to affected families.
Next Steps
Forensic teams from Delhi and Chandigarh are expected to arrive to assist with the blast-site analysis. The National Investigation Agency (NIA) has been informed but is not leading the probe, since early evidence indicates a non-terror accidental detonation.
Authorities estimate that cleanup and structural assessment will take several days, and nearby residents have been advised to avoid the area until engineers complete stability checks on damaged buildings.