Nine Killed, 32 Injured in Accidental Explosion at Nowgam Police Station: MHA

Nine people were killed and 32 others injured in a “massive” accidental explosion at the Nowgam police station in Jammu and Kashmir, the Union Ministry of Home Affairs said on Saturday. Prashant Lokhande, Joint Secretary in the MHA, said the cause of the blast is under investigation and urged the public to avoid speculation. The police station, located on the outskirts of Srinagar, suffered extensive damage, with nearby buildings also affected.

According to Lokhande, the explosion occurred during the handling of a large cache of explosive substances and chemicals recovered during the probe into a terror module. These materials had been stored in an open area within the police station premises and were undergoing forensic and chemical examination as part of standard procedure. Due to the volume of the recovered explosives, the process had been ongoing for two days under expert supervision.

The joint secretary said the blast took place at around 11:20 pm on November 14, killing nine people and injuring 27 police personnel, two revenue officials, and three civilians. Describing the materials as “unstable and sensitive,” he said they were being handled with extreme care when the unfortunate accident occurred. The government has reiterated that the investigation is underway and any speculation about the cause is unwarranted.

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