Ofure Akhigbe
Nine people were killed and 32 injured on Friday after a stockpile of confiscated explosives accidentally detonated at the Nowgam police station in Indian-administered Kashmir, officials said.
The blast occurred at around 23:20 local time (17:50 GMT) on Friday, when the explosives — seized earlier in the week from Faridabad in Haryana — were being prepared for forensic examination. According to the region’s director general of police, Nalin Prabhat, a “very unfortunate” mishap during handling triggered the explosion.
Police said the incident was an accidental detonation and dismissed speculation about a possible attack. The explosion caused severe damage to the station and affected nearby buildings. Several vehicles were engulfed in flames, and debris was scattered widely across the area. A police source told Reuters that the intensity of the blast was so great that body parts were recovered from homes 100–200 metres away.
Most of the victims were police officers. Others included forensic staff, two crime-scene photographers, and a tailor working with the team.
The tragedy comes just days after a separate car explosion killed several people in Delhi, which the government has described as a terror incident.
Manoj Sinha, the region’s Lieutenant Governor, expressed condolences and ordered an investigation into the cause of the blast. “Deeply anguished by the loss of precious lives… I pray for the speedy recovery of the injured,” he said in a statement on social media.