Nine Dead in Nowgam Police Station Explosion Linked to Explosives Seizure

An explosion at the Nowgam police station, located on the outskirts of Srinagar in Jammu and Kashmir, resulted in the deaths of nine individuals late on Friday. Authorities have classified the incident as accidental but linked it to a significant recovery of explosives related to a crackdown on a terror module in Faridabad, Haryana. The fatalities included personnel from the Special Investigation Agency of Jammu and Kashmir Police, members of the Forensic Science Laboratory team, crime scene photographers, revenue officials, and a tailor associated with the investigative team.

The explosion occurred while forensic experts were extracting samples from a cache of explosives that had been seized from Faridabad. Jammu and Kashmir Police Chief Nalin Prabhat confirmed the details on Saturday, stating that the incident was linked to broader security operations aimed at dismantling terror networks in the region.

Authorities are investigating how explosives from Faridabad made their way to Jammu and Kashmir. The seized materials are part of a larger recovery of nearly 2,900 kilograms of explosives conducted by security agencies during operations against a terror module with connections to the recent bombing at the Red Fort in Delhi, which resulted in multiple casualties.

The investigation into the November 10 Red Fort incident revealed ties to a case registered in Nowgam on October 19, following the discovery of posters from the Jaish-e-Mohammed group, which warned of an imminent attack. This investigation led Jammu and Kashmir Police to uncover an inter-state module based in Faridabad, where they seized a substantial amount of explosives, chemicals, and reagents from two villages.

Two clerics, including Irfan Wagay from Shopian, and several medical professionals affiliated with Al Falah University in Faridabad were arrested as part of the crackdown. Police apprehended three individuals who appeared in CCTV footage during the investigation, uncovering their past involvement in stone-pelting incidents. Their interrogations pointed to Wagay's connections within a broader network supporting the Jaish-e-Mohammed and Ansar Ghazwat-ul-Hind groups.

The explosives recovered included a significant 2,563 kilograms found at the residence of Hafeez Mohammad Ishtiaq, an imam at the Al Falah mosque in Faridabad's Dhera Colony. Additional raids yielded another 358 kilograms of explosive materials, along with detonators and timers.

Subsequent arrests included several individuals from Nowgam and surrounding areas, as well as a medical practitioner associated with the module. Posters from the Jaish-e-Mohammed group were also discovered at Wagay's residence.

The security operations culminated in an explosion triggered by Dr Umar un Nabi, who was implicated in the Red Fort blast. This incident took place amid heavy traffic in Delhi, further highlighting the complexities of the ongoing investigations into terror activities linked to the recovery of explosives in Faridabad.