A blast occurred at the Nowgam police station on the outskirts of Srinagar, Jammu and Kashmir, on Friday, resulting in the deaths of at least nine people and injuries to several others. The explosion, which took place late on Friday night, primarily affected police personnel and forensic officials.
Tariq Ahmed, who claimed to be an eyewitness, told ANI, “We heard a loud explosion and we could not figure out what it was. It was when we saw the people coming out of it, crying, that we knew something had happened in the police station. When we reached we saw everything was devastated, there was a lot of smoke and dead bodies… Our people and neighbours have died, and this is a huge loss.”
Officials reported that at least 30 police personnel and three civilians were admitted to various hospitals in the city. The bodies were later taken to the Police Control Room in Srinagar.
Authorities stated that the blast occurred while handling explosive material seized from Faridabad in Haryana. The explosives, which included 360 kilograms, were being examined as part of the investigation into a ‘white-collar’ terror module. Some of the material had been kept at the Forensic Lab, while the majority was stored at the police station, which also housed the primary case for the terror module.
The explosion caused significant damage to the police station building, and the injured personnel were hospitalised. A team from the J&K State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) was deployed to inspect the site and remove debris.
Notably, posters threatening police had been found in the Nowgam area last month. Sources linked the November 10 Delhi blast to these posters, for which an FIR was registered on 19 October. Security forces subsequently dismantled an inter-state Jaish-e-Mohammed module connected to the terror plot.
During the investigation, two arrests were made from Shopian and Ganderbal between 20-27 October, and on 5 November, Dr Adil was apprehended from Saharanpur in Uttar Pradesh. Two days later, an AK-56 rifle and ammunition were seized from Anantnag Hospital, and additional weapons and explosives were recovered from Faridabad.
Interrogation revealed other individuals involved, leading to the arrest of Dr Muzammil from Al Falah Medical College, Faridabad. Further operations led to the arrest of a person named Madrasi from Dhauj, Faridabad, on 9 November. The following day, 2,563 kilograms of explosives were recovered from Hafeez Mohammad Ishtiaq, an Imam at Al Falah Mosque in Dhera Colony, Faridabad. Subsequent raids seized an additional 358 kilograms of explosives, detonators, and timers, bringing the total to around 3,000 kilograms of explosives and bomb-making equipment.
Umar, another module member and medical practitioner at Al Falah Medical College, relocated due to pressure from security forces. CCTV footage confirmed that he was driving the vehicle used in the Red Fort explosion. The blast involved the same type of material stored in Faridabad.
Authorities stated that whether the Nowgam blast was deliberate or accidental will be determined during further investigation. Security agencies successfully dismantled the Faridabad module, seized a large quantity of explosives, and averted a major conspiracy intended to cause widespread damage. Umar’s panic following the crackdown may have contributed to the Red Fort explosion, though investigations are ongoing.
Following news of the explosion, Delhi Police and other agencies immediately reached the site. Home Minister Amit Shah directed the NSG, NIA, and forensic teams to the location. The injured were treated promptly, and the vehicle used in the blast was identified. DNA, explosive, and other forensic samples were collected, and the National Investigation Agency has taken over the investigation.
