Nine dead, several injured in Srinagar after explosives from Faridabad terror module go off at Nowgam Police Station

At least nine people were killed and over 25 others injured when a massive explosion tore through the Nowgam Police Station in Srinagar late Friday night. 

The blast occurred as authorities were extracting samples from a large cache of explosives recently seized in connection with the Faridabad terror module case.

Eyewitnesses and CCTV footage captured the explosion ripping through the building, sending flames and thick smoke into the sky. Officials have warned that casualties may rise, as several of the injured are in critical condition and some individuals are still missing. Rescuers continue to comb the rubble for those feared trapped. Investigators reported that body parts were found as far as 300 feet from the site, highlighting the blast’s intensity.

Police sources confirmed two angles of investigation. One possibility is that ammonium nitrate ignited during sealing in the presence of a magistrate. Another points to a potential terror strike. The explosion occurred while policemen and forensic teams were handling the explosive material brought from Faridabad. Much of the 350 kg stock recovered from the terror module case had been stored inside the police station, where the primary FIR was registered.

Some of the recovered chemicals had already been sent to the police forensic lab, while the larger share remained at the station. Officials also indicated that a seized car found inside the compound may have been rigged with an IED, possibly triggering the larger blast. The PAFF, a shadow outfit linked to Jaish-e-Mohammed, has claimed responsibility, although authorities are still verifying the claim.

Security forces, aided by sniffer dogs, swept the compound while the area remained sealed off. Deputy Commissioner Srinagar, Akshay Labroo, visited a local hospital to meet the injured. The bodies of the victims have been moved to the Police Control Room in Srinagar.

The explosives cache had originally been recovered from a rented home in Faridabad belonging to Dr. Muzzamil Shakeel Ganaie, one of eight people arrested in connection with the terror module.

Following the blast, J&K DGP Nalin Prabhat conducted a hybrid security review across the Union Territory, with agencies tightening security after the recent Red Fort car blast that killed at least 13 people.

Authorities continue to investigate the exact cause of the explosion, while rescue and security operations remain underway.