Nowgam 'accidental' blast: 9 killed, 32 injured; explosives linked to Red Fort attack; MHA urges no speculation

SDRF personnel arrive on Saturday morning to clear debris after the accidental explosion ripped through the Nowgam police station late Friday night.

A powerful accidental explosion ripped through the Nowgam Police Station in Srinagar late Friday night, killing nine people and injuring 32 others, the Ministry of Home Affairs stated on Saturday. The Ministry noted that the cause of the incident is under investigation and urged the public to avoid speculation.

As per authorities, the explosion occurred while police personnel, forensic experts, and civil officials were extracting samples from a large cache of explosives seized in connection with a “white-collar” terror module, linked to the ghastly November 10 Delhi Red Fort car blast.

In a press briefing, Prashant Lokhande, Joint Secretary in the MHA, said the blast occurred while a large cache of explosive substances and chemicals, recovered during the probe into a terror module, was being processed. “The recovered explosives were kept securely in an open area of the Nowgam police station and, as part of the standard procedure, forwarded for forensic and chemical examination,” he explained.

The procedure had been ongoing for the last two days due to the voluminous nature of the recovery. “Owing to the unstable and sensitive nature of the materials, the handling was being carried out very carefully under expert supervision. However, during the process, an accidental explosion took place at about 11.20 pm on November 14,” Lokhande said.

The police station building suffered extensive damage, and nearby structures were also affected. Lokhande reiterated, “The cause of the accident is being investigated. However, any other speculation into the cause of this incident is unnecessary.”

J&K Director General of Police Nalin Prabhat, addressing the press, stated the blast occurred while the Forensic Science Laboratory (FSL) team was examining a large cache of explosives, chemicals, and reagents recovered from Faridabad on November 9 and 10. The materials had been securely stored in the open area of the police station as part of standard procedure.

“Due to the unstable and sensitive nature of the recovery, the sampling and handling were being conducted with utmost caution by the FSL team. However, unfortunately, an accidental explosion took place,” DGP Prabhat said.

He too, however, urged the public to avoid speculation regarding the cause of the incident.  "Any other speculation into the cause of this incident is unnecessary," he noted.

#WATCH | Blast near Nowgam Police Station in J&K last night | Srinagar | J&K DGP Nalin Prabhat says, "During the investigation in FIR 162 of 2025 of PS Nowgam, a huge quantity of explosive substances, chemicals and regents were also recovered from Faridabad on 9th and 10th of… pic.twitter.com/Xs55Nve64t

— ANI (@ANI) November 15, 2025

“During the investigation in FIR 162 of 2025 of PS Nowgam, a huge quantity of explosive substances, chemicals and reagents were also recovered from Faridabad on 9th and 10th of November. This recovery, like the rest of the recoveries which we have done, was transported and kept securely in the open area of the Police Station Nowgam,” Prabhat added.

“As part of the prescribed procedure, the samples of the recovery had to be forwarded for further forensic and chemical examination. On account of the voluminous nature of the recovery, this process was going on for the past 2 days, which means yesterday and the day before, by the FSL team,” DGP Prabhat said.

The Ministry of Home Affairs has also confirmed that the cause of the Nowgam incident is under investigation and urged the public not to engage in speculation.

The deceased include one SIA personnel, three FSL staff, two crime scene photographers, two revenue officials attached to the magistrate’s team, and a tailor associated with the team. Among the injured are 27 police personnel, two revenue officials, and three civilians from nearby areas, all of whom were immediately taken to hospitals for treatment.

Most of the victims were policemen and forensic officials working at the station, while three civilians were also among the injured. The injured have been admitted to multiple hospitals in Srinagar, including the 92 Base Hospital and Sher-i-Kashmir Institute of Medical Sciences (SKIMS).

The Nowgam Police Station building suffered extensive damage in Friday night’s massive explosion, with nearby structures also impacted. Small, successive blasts during the handling of explosives initially slowed rescue operations, officials said.

Authorities confirmed that approximately 360 kilograms of explosive materials, including ammonium nitrate, potassium nitrate, and sulfur, were being examined when the incident occurred. These materials were part of a larger seizure recovered from the rented residence of Dr Muzzamil Ganaie in Faridabad on November 9 and 10, as part of the ongoing probe into a “white-collar” terror module.

The bulk of the explosives had been stored in an open area at the Nowgam police station, where the primary FIR for the terror module was registered. The sampling process, carried out by forensic experts, was underway when the accidental detonation took place.

Notably, this stockpile, including ammonium nitrate, potassium nitrate, and sulfur, was part of a larger cache of nearly 3,000 kilograms of explosives recovered during the ongoing investigation. The material was seized from the residences of arrested doctors Dr Muzammil Ganaie and Dr Shaheen Sayeed of Al Falah University last week, who were linked to the module.

The terror module, according to investigating agencies, was a “white-collar” network involving radicalised professionals, including medical practitioners, who were reportedly responsible for fundraising, logistics, and procuring explosives for attacks.

The investigation into the module was initiated after posters threatening police and security forces appeared on walls in Bunpora, Nowgam, in mid-October. Analysis of CCTV footage led to the arrest of the first three suspects, Arif Nisar Dar alias Sahil, Yasir-ul-Ashraf, and Maqsood Ahmad Dar alias Shahid. Their interrogation revealed connections to a network that included radicalised doctors and an imam, Maulvi Irfan Ahmad, who allegedly supplied the threatening posters.

Further investigation traced the network to Al Falah University in Faridabad, resulting in the arrests of Dr Ganaie and Dr Shaheen Sayeed, and the seizure of the large cache of chemicals.

Investigators identified the core trio running the module as Dr Muzammil Ganaie (arrested), Umar Nabi (driver of the car used in the Red Fort blast), and Muzzaffar Rather (absconding). Another arrested member, Dr Adeel Rather, was found in possession of an AK-56 rifle, while the role of the absconding Dr Muzzaffar Rather remains under investigation.

Officials said a core trio of doctors, Dr Ganaie, Umar Nabi (the driver of the explosives-laden car that detonated near Delhi’s Red Fort on November 10, killing 13 people), and Muzzaffar Rather, who remains absconding, were allegedly orchestrating the terror module. The eighth accused, Dr Adeel Rather, brother of Muzzaffar, is still under investigation.

As per the police, Friday night's Nowgam blast was accidental, which occurred during the sampling and forensic examination of the explosives at the station. Small successive explosions delayed immediate rescue operations.

Ladakh Lieutenant Governor Kavinder Gupta expressed deep sorrow over the tragic explosion. Taking to X, Gupta said, “Deeply anguished by the tragic explosion at Nowgam Police Station in Srinagar. My heartfelt condolences to the families of those who lost their lives, and prayers for the swift recovery of the injured.”

Deputy Commissioner Srinagar Akshay Labroo visited the injured at hospitals.

Senior police officials, including the Special Investigation Agency (SIA) and forensic teams, cordoned off the area, while the National Investigation Agency (NIA) has taken over the probe.