Nine Killed in Accidental Blast Inside Srinagar Police Station: A Terror Case Exhibit Turns Into a Night of Horror
It began as a routine procedural step in a terror investigation that ended in catastrophe late Friday night in Srinagar.
Moments before midnight on 14 November, a massive explosion ripped through Nowgam Police Station, triggered by volatile explosives stored inside for evidence processing.
Within seconds, the building was shattered, nine lives were lost, and several others were left injured.
Most of the victims were police personnel and staff who had been working on a high-profile Jaish-e-Mohammad case.
From Case Property to Catastrophe
The station had been holding an unusually large stock of explosive material — more than 350 kg of ammonium nitrate, hundreds of kilos of other chemical compounds, detonators, batteries, and timer devices.
All of this had been seized from a Jaish-e-Mohammad module connected to the Red Fort blast case, recovered during raids in Delhi, Faridabad, and Haryana, and brought to Srinagar as part of the investigation.
This very material became the cause of one of the deadliest accidental blasts in recent memory.
Officers near the scene reported a blinding flash and an earth-shaking boom that instantly destroyed sections of the police station.
SOPs Followed, but the Material Had Become Highly Unstable
According to senior police officials, all standard operating procedures were observed while transporting and storing the seized explosives.
The material had been sealed in airtight containers and moved in small consignments.
As per rule, every seized item — including hazardous material — must be taken to the investigating station’s malkhana (evidence storeroom) for forensic testing and court use.
However, over time, the chemicals had degraded, becoming dangerously unstable. Despite SOP compliance, the material remained inside the Nowgam station instead of being shifted to a court malkhana.
Explosion Occurred During Forensic Sampling
The Union Home Ministry later confirmed that the blast occurred during a forensic sampling exercise.
J&K DGP Nalin Prabhat described the incident as a “tragic accidental explosion,” triggered by degraded explosive compounds that reacted violently during the handling process.
Faces Behind the Tragedy
The following morning, the names and faces of the victims brought a heartbreaking human dimension to the tragedy.
Those killed were not just officers — they were fathers, sons, colleagues, and friends.
Among the deceased:
- Inspector Peerzada Asrar-ul-Haq, Special Investigation Agency
- SI Muzaffar Ahmad Khan, Naib Tehsildar
- Javid Mansoor Rather
- Arshad Ahmad Shah, Crime Branch photographer
- Suhail Ahmad Rather, Revenue Department chowkidar
Each name carried a story — officers who had spent years battling militancy, staff who supported security operations from behind the scenes, and government employees whose lives ended in an instant.
Government Announces Ex Gratia Relief
The J&K government has announced ₹10 lakh compensation for the families of each deceased, to be disbursed from the Chief Minister’s Relief Fund. Those with severe injuries will receive ₹1 lakh.
Chief Minister Omar Abdullah expressed deep grief on X, assuring that the administration would offer full support to all affected families.
The Aftermath: A Scene of Ruins and Remembrance
By Saturday morning, Nowgam Police Station resembled a war-hit structure — blackened walls, collapsed ceilings, shattered files, and charred remains of evidence strewn across the floors.
Rescue teams continued clearing debris as grieving families arrived, many collapsing at the sight of the destruction that had claimed their loved ones.
Outside the station, silence settled over the scene as colleagues held back tears while carrying bodies wrapped in white shrouds.
Families wailed in disbelief, holding each other as officials tried to offer comfort. Officers who had worked side-by-side with the victims lit candles, whispering prayers for the souls lost in the line of duty.
The blast has not only raised urgent questions about the handling of explosive evidence but has also left a deep scar on Srinagar’s policing community — one that will take a long time to heal.
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