Major blast at Srinagar police station kills nine as probe underway to determine cause

A massive explosion inside the Nowgam police station late Friday night killed nine people and left 32 injured in one of the most serious internal mishaps reported in Jammu and Kashmir’s recent policing history. Although senior officials have termed the incident an accidental blast triggered during the handling of seized explosives, the exact cause is still being investigated.

The blast occurred around 11.20 pm when a specialised team was examining a large cache of explosive materials recovered earlier this week from Faridabad as part of an ongoing probe into the “white-collar” terror module. According to preliminary statements, the explosion happened during the sampling of an unstable mixture of chemicals, but confirmation will depend on the findings of the inquiry now underway.

Three Forensic Science Laboratory (FSL) experts, two crime photographers, two revenue department officials, one officer of the State Investigation Agency (SIA), and a civilian associated with the team were killed. Among the 32 injured are 27 police personnel and three civilians from the neighbourhood.

The impact of the blast was devastating. The police station building suffered extensive structural damage, and adjoining structures were also affected. Small successive explosions continued for a short duration after the main blast, initially slowing down the rescue effort as emergency teams struggled to enter the debris-filled compound.

Senior officers said the presence of multiple departments inside the police station at the time of the incident was part of the standard protocol. Forensic experts were required to extract and document samples; SIA officials were supervising the handling of evidence linked to a terror case; and revenue officials were present as independent magistrate witnesses to ensure that all procedures followed legal requirements.

The seized materials being examined- around 360 kg of explosive substances and chemical reagents, including ammonium nitrate, potassium nitrate and sulphur were recovered from the rented residence of accused Dr Muzzamil Ganaie in Faridabad. Investigators believe the case involves educated professionals who allegedly procured chemicals and planned attacks while maintaining a façade of normal employment, prompting the police to refer to them as a “white-collar module.”

The explosion poses significant challenges for the ongoing investigation. Part of the seized evidence was destroyed, and several key personnel involved in the forensic process have been lost, potentially affecting the pace and depth of analysis. Despite this setback, police have said the broader probe into the terror module will continue.

The case itself began after threatening posters targeting security forces appeared in Nowgam last month, eventually leading to multiple arrests in Srinagar and Faridabad, including three doctors, a former paramedic-turned-imam, and several associates.