Nowgam Police Station Blast: Accidental Explosion During Evidence Examination
In a tragic incident that has shocked the security establishment, an accidental explosion at Nowgam police station in Jammu and Kashmir has claimed nine lives and left thirty-two people injured. The blast occurred late Friday night while forensic teams were examining unstable chemical substances recovered from a terror module investigation.
What Caused the Explosion?
Jammu and Kashmir Director General of Police Nalin Prabhat confirmed on Saturday morning that the explosion was entirely accidental. The incident took place around 11:20 PM on November 14, 2025, when forensic experts were handling volatile chemicals seized during raids in Faridabad.
"During the investigation in FIR number 162 of the year 2025 of PS Nowgam, a huge quantity of explosive substances, chemicals and reagents were recovered from Faridabad on November 9 and 10," DGP Prabhat stated. The recovered materials were described as "unstable and sensitive" by the police chief.
Victims and Damage Assessment
The explosion resulted in significant casualties among the investigation team and security personnel. Among the nine deceased were one member of the State Investigation Agency (SIA), three Forensic Science Laboratory personnel, two crime scene photographers, two revenue officials from the magistrate's team, and one tailor associated with the team.
The injured included twenty-seven police personnel, two revenue officials, and three civilians from adjacent areas. All injured were immediately evacuated to nearby hospitals for treatment. The police station building suffered severe damage, with adjacent structures also affected by the blast impact.
Investigation Context and Recovery Details
Nowgam police station had become central to the investigation that unraveled an interstate Jaish-e-Mohammad terror module last week. The probe began in October when Jaish-e-Mohammad posters appeared in the area, eventually leading investigators hundreds of kilometers away from the Valley.
During raids to bust the terror module, police had recovered more than 350 kg of ammonium nitrate as part of approximately 2,900 kg of suspected explosive material. The total seizure included potash, phosphorus, reagents, inflammable material, electronic circuits, batteries, wires, remote controls, timers and metal sheets.
DGP Prabhat emphasized that the sampling process was being conducted with extreme caution by the FSL team due to the volatile nature of the materials. He dismissed any speculation about the cause as "unnecessary," confirming that the explosion was purely accidental during evidence examination procedures.
