Srinagar, November 15, 2025 — In one of Jammu & Kashmir’s most devastating security-site accidents in recent years, a massive explosion ripped through the Nowgam Police Station in Srinagar late Friday night, killing nine personnel and injuring nearly two dozen others during the inspection of seized explosive material tied to a developing terror-module case.
Officials confirmed that a combined police–forensic team was conducting a technical audit of explosives recovered earlier this week from a Faridabad hideout—material believed to be connected to the recent Delhi blast and a wider terror network under investigation. As the team handled the samples, a sudden detonation ignited a powerful chain reaction, sending shockwaves across Nowgam and shattering windows several kilometres away.
The explosion, described by senior officers as “high-magnitude and uncontrolled”, destroyed parts of the police station’s forensic chamber and triggered a blaze that firefighters battled for hours. Eyewitnesses reported a fireball erupting from the building, with debris raining across the neighbourhood.
Early assessments suggest that the seized material included a combination of RDX derivatives and improvised blast components, making the handling process extremely sensitive. A lapse in sequencing, static discharge, or concealed secondary triggers is being examined as a potential cause.
The victims include police personnel, forensic experts, and technical staff who were overseeing the documentation and testing of the explosive cache. Hospitals across Srinagar received the injured through the night, with several in critical condition.
The blast has reignited questions over safety protocols for storing and examining high-risk explosives, particularly within populated police establishments. Security experts have long warned that seized materials must be moved to isolated detonation-proof facilities — a recommendation now expected to gain urgent official attention.
Investigators are also probing the larger context of the seized explosives. The Faridabad recovery and its alleged linkage to a Delhi car blast have already triggered a series of counter-terror operations across North India. The Nowgam incident now adds a grave twist to the unfolding security narrative.
Authorities have cordoned off the entire Nowgam belt, with bomb-disposal teams carrying out secondary sweeps to ensure no additional triggers remain. A high-level inquiry committee comprising senior officers from J&K Police, NIA, and forensic experts is expected to present a preliminary report within 48 hours.
As Srinagar wakes up to the aftermath of the explosion, the tragedy underscores the risks faced by frontline officers working within India’s anti-terror grid, and the urgent structural reforms needed to ensure such accidents never recur.
