While a magisterial probe is underway, officials have firmly ruled out any terror angle. (Image: Ref)
In the wake of a devastating explosion that killed nine people, elite forensic and bomb disposal teams descended upon the Nowgam police station in Jammu and Kashmir. They aim to piece together what exactly happened that caused the massive cache of explosives stored at the police station to blow up by accident.
The blast site has been completely sealed off as a high-stakes investigation unfolds. Teams from the Central Forensic Science Laboratories (CFSL) in Delhi and Chandigarh, alongside the Bomb Disposal Squad of the National Security Guards (NSG), conducted a meticulous inspection on Sunday. Officials stated that these experts are sifting through the rubble left by the blast to find crucial clues. They have collected samples from the site and interacted with local officials to build a comprehensive understanding of the tragedy.
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The blast occurred during what should have been a controlled procedure. Authorities have confirmed that a sampling process was being conducted on approximately 360 kg of explosives. This material was part of a much larger haul of 3,000 kg, including ammonium nitrate, recovered from a Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM) led "white collar terror module." The sampling was taking place in a shed within the police station's perimeter when it accidentally ignited on Friday. The blast was so powerful that it damaged dozens of cars, police vehicles, and nearby houses, and its sound was heard across much of Srinagar.
The tragedy took the lives of professionals from different fields who were just doing their work. Those killed included an SIA officer from the J&K Police, three FSL experts, two crime scene photographers, and two revenue officials from the magistrate’s team. A tailor working with them also died, showing how many different people were at the site.
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Yes. The Union territory administration has announced a magisterial probe into the incident. Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha confirmed the investigation, stating that it is a legal necessity for this type of event. He was also quick to rule out any malicious intent behind the explosion. "The sampling process of explosives was going on for the past two days," Sinha said. "Nowgam police station incident was just an unfortunate accident and there is no terror conspiracy or outside involvement in this."
