Jammu and Kashmir Director General of Police Nalin Prabhat on Saturday described the massive explosion at Nowgam Police Station as an accidental and deeply unfortunate incident, confirming the deaths of nine personnel and injuries to twenty-seven others. The blast occurred late Friday night during the examination of highly unstable explosive material recovered earlier from Faridabad as part of an ongoing investigation.
Briefing media, the DGP said the seized ammonium nitrate and related substances had been stored at the police station in accordance with the procedure followed during live investigations. He noted that forensic teams and senior officers were engaged in sampling and technical assessment when the material unexpectedly detonated.
“Despite all precautions, an accidental blast took place, resulting in the tragic loss of nine lives and injuries to twenty-seven others. The investigation linked to the seized material is continuing,” Prabhat said.
According to police, the deceased include one SIA official, three personnel from the Forensic Science Laboratory, two crime photographers, two revenue officials and one tailor who was present at the site. Among the injured are civilians as well as police personnel, several of whom are undergoing treatment for critical wounds.
The explosion caused extensive structural damage to the Nowgam Police Station. Adjacent houses and surrounding buildings also suffered significant impact, and technical teams are currently assessing the full scale of destruction.
The DGP said J&K Police stands in complete solidarity with the families of the deceased and expressed hope for the swift recovery of the injured. He stressed that rumours and speculative claims circulating in certain quarters were baseless and that there was no terror angle involved. [KNT]
