Srinagar, Nov 15: A police inspector and Naib tehsildar were among nine people killed and 32 others injured after a massive late-night blast ripped through Nowgam Police Station in Srinagar, officials said, warning that the death toll is likely to rise.
An official said an explosion occurred when a huge quantity of confiscated explosive material stored inside the police station suddenly went off. The material, most likely ammonium nitrate had recently been transported from Haryana’s Faridabad after Jammu & Kashmir Police busted an alleged doctors’ terror module.
“A police inspector of State Investigation Agency (SIA) identified as Asrar Ahmad of Kupwara has lost his life and some of the deceased are policemen and members of the Forensic Science Laboratory (FSL) team. A Naib Tehsildar identified as Muzaffar Ahmad of Soibugh Budgam and a local tailor are also among the dead. Several of the 32 injured are in critical condition,” the official said.
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He added that the identification of the bodies is underway as a number of them were burnt beyond recognition. The blast was so powerful that body parts were recovered from houses located nearly 100–200 metres away from the police station.
The injured have been admitted to the Army’s 92 Base Hospital, SMHS Hospital, SKIMS Soura, and Ujala Hospital Nowgam.
Officials said a detailed inquiry will be initiated to determine what triggered the explosion and whether proper safety protocols were in place. (KDC)
