Explosion at Police Station in Jammu and Kashmir

A massive explosion at the Nowgam police station, near Srinagar in Jammu and Kashmir, on Friday night has resulted in the deaths of at least nine individuals and left 29 others injured. Most of the deceased were police officers and forensic officials who were examining a large cache of explosives that had been seized and stored at the station. Among the dead were also two senior officials of the Srinagar administration.

The explosives had recently been recovered from Faridabad in Haryana and were kept at the Nowgam station for examination. The blast occurred while officials were handling and inspecting the materials. The injured were swiftly transferred to the Indian Army’s 92 Base Hospital and SKIMS for urgent treatment. Senior police officials arrived at the scene, cordoning off the entire area for safety and investigation.

Nowgam police station had previously uncovered posters put up by the Jaish-e-Mohammed group. Investigations revealed that highly educated professionals were involved with the terror module, indicating a sophisticated network. Subsequent raids led to the seizure of further explosives and the arrest of individuals known as the “terror doctors.” In October, Dr Adil Ahmad Rathore was apprehended after CCTV footage captured him putting up threatening posters. Rathore, formerly employed at Anantnag Government Medical College, later moved to Saharanpur in Uttar Pradesh. Weapons including an assault rifle were recovered from his locker.

Interrogation of Rathore led authorities to Dr Muzammil Shakeel, associated with Al-Falah Medical College in Faridabad. Searches of their associates’ residences yielded nearly 3,000 kilograms of ammonium nitrate, a key explosive ingredient. Dr Shahin Saeed, also linked to Al-Falah University, was arrested subsequently. In the same period, a car explosion in a busy area near Lal Qila, Delhi, claimed 13 lives and injured over 20. The next day, Dr Umar Nabi’s involvement emerged, revealing the scale and reach of this terror network.

The incident highlights both the dangers faced by security forces handling explosives and the alarming reality of professionals being implicated in extremist activities. Authorities continue to conduct a thorough investigation into the entire network.