The Jammu and Kashmir Police on Thursday strongly dismissed reports circulating on social media regarding the cause of the recent deadly explosion at Nowgam Police Station, labeling them as “conjectures” and “misleading.” The police reiterated that the blast was “accidental” and occurred during a technical procedure.
Official Stance and High-Level Probe
The ‘accidental’ explosion on November 14 tragically resulted in the deaths of nine people, including officials such as an SIA inspector and a naib tehsildar, along with two locals and a tailor. The incident occurred while samples were being collected from a large cache of recovered explosives.
In an official statement posted on X, the J&K Police reaffirmed:
“It is reiterated that an accidental explosion occurred on 14 Nov 2025, while the process of sample collection, from the large cache of recovered explosive, for forensic examination, was being done by experts from Forensic Science Laboratory.”
The police confirmed that the matter is currently being probed by a high-level committee formed by the government. This probe panel is comprised of senior officials, including the Principal Secretary, Home Department, the Inspector General of Kashmir zone, the Srinagar district magistrate, and a senior scientist from the Central Forensic Sciences Laboratory (CFSL).
Details of the Explosion
The explosion tore through the Nowgam Police Station on the evening of November 14. The police station is situated in a migrant property inside a residential area in central Kashmir’s Srinagar district.
- Victims: Nine people, including revenue, SIA, and forensic officials, were killed. All nine were present near the explosives at the time of the blast.
- Context: The incident occurred when police and forensic experts were collecting samples from approximately 2,900 kilograms of Improvised Explosive Device (IED) making material that had been retrieved a few days prior from Faridabad.
- Scale of Damage: The blast was heard throughout most parts of the city, damaged nearby houses, and left 32 people injured.
Challenges in the Investigation
While the police maintain the official cause was accidental, the investigation into how the massive explosion was triggered faces significant challenges:
- Loss of Eyewitnesses: A police officer privy to the details noted that all the eyewitnesses, particularly those closest to the material, died on the spot.
- Cause of Ignition: Investigators are attempting to determine what actually led to the blast, as an explosion requires a detonator.
- Theories: Given the massive amount of material, which included highly flammable ammonium nitrate, an officer suggested a possibility that some module members may have concealed a detonator circuit inside the explosive bags which was inadvertently triggered when samples were being collected.
“The injured policemen are still in shock and don’t know how the blast took place… Everything is a matter of investigation,” the officer added, emphasizing that the exact cause of the explosion is still under rigorous review by the high-level committee.