Deadly Oversight: Nine Die as Seized Explosives Detonate Accidentally in J&K Police Station

November 15, 2025: An accidental explosion at the Nowgam Police Station on the outskirts of Srinagar, Jammu and Kashmir, has tragically resulted in the deaths of nine people and left 27 others injured. The incident occurred late Friday night while a team of police and forensic officials were handling a substantial cache of explosive material that had been seized in connection with a ‘white-collar’ terror module case from Faridabad, Haryana.

Explosion Details and Casualties

The blast was reported to have taken place around 11:20 PM on Friday, November 14, 2025.

• Nine individuals were killed in the unfortunate incident. The deceased include three personnel from the Forensic Science Laboratory (FSL), two Revenue Department officials (including a Naib Tehsildar), two police photographers, one State Investigation Agency (SIA) member, and a tailor who was associated with the team.
• The bodies have been shifted to the Police Control Room in Srinagar, where identification processes are being undertaken.
• A further 27 people—comprising 24 police personnel and three civilians—were admitted to various city hospitals with injuries, some of which are reported to be critical.

The incident was described as an “accidental explosion” by Director General of Police (DGP) Nalin Prabhat, who ruled out a terror angle, cautioning that any further speculation is unnecessary while the probe is being conducted. The explosion was attributed to the unstable and sensitive nature of the recovered chemicals, which detonated while samples were being extracted for forensic examination.

Link to Faridabad Terror Module

The blast is directly linked to an ongoing investigation into a massive ‘white-collar’ terror module with connections across Kashmir, Haryana, and Uttar Pradesh, allegedly associated with banned groups like Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM).

• The explosive material was brought from Faridabad, Haryana, where it had been recovered from the rented residence of arrested doctor Muzammil Ganaie.
• Approximately 360 kilograms of explosive chemicals, including suspected ammonium nitrate, potassium nitrate, and sulphur, were part of the cache being stored and processed at the Nowgam police station, where the primary case was registered.
• The extraction of samples from the voluminous recovery had been ongoing for two days by the FSL team before the accidental detonation occurred.

The initial investigation into this terror module was triggered by threatening posters that had been observed in Bunpora, Nowgam, in mid-October. The subsequent crackdown and coordinated raids uncovered a network involving radicalised professionals. The seized explosives were believed to have been intended for the preparation of numerous Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs) across multiple cities.

Damage and Aftermath

The powerful explosion caused significant damage to the Nowgam police station building. Adjoining structures were also affected.

• Rescue operations were briefly delayed due to small, successive explosions that followed the initial blast.
• Ambulances and police vehicles were immediately dispatched to the scene, and the injured were promptly evacuated to hospitals.

The cause of this unfortunate incident is currently under inquiry, and the Jammu and Kashmir Police have stated that they stand in solidarity with the families of the deceased during this time of grief.