A deadly late-night explosion near Nowgam Police Station in Srinagar killed at least nine people and injured several others. Rescue teams are on site, and an investigation into the cause of the blast is currently underway.
At least nine people were killed and several others injured after a deadly late-night explosion ripped through the vicinity of Nowgam Police Station in Srinagar on Friday, triggering panic across the area as rescue teams rushed to the spot.
According to locals, the blast occurred around 11:20 pm, severely damaging parts of the police station building and surrounding areas.
Locals Describe Chaos and Devastation
Local residents have described scenes of chaos and devastation following the explosion. Shafad Ahmed, a local resident, shared his experience with ANI, recounting how the blast shook the entire neighbourhood. “A loud blast occurred at about 11.20 pm last night. We were left shaken. We went to sleep later and found out about it this morning… We came here to see things on our own. But they are not letting us go to our relatives here. My relatives reside near the Police Station. I have not been able to speak with them… I had never heard such a loud blast in my life,” he told ANI.
Another local, Tariq Ahmed, claimed to be an eyewitness and said the scale of destruction was immediately evident. “We heard a loud explosion and we could not figure out what it was. It was when we saw the people coming out of it, crying, that we knew something had happened in the police station. When we reached, we saw everything was devastated, there was a lot of smoke and dead bodies… Our people and neighbours have died and this is a huge loss,” he said.
Investigation and Official Response
In the aftermath, the Jammu and Kashmir State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) team arrived on Saturday morning to undertake an inspection and clear rubble from inside the building.
Security forces have cordoned off the area, and investigations are underway to determine the nature of the blast.
The blast, which occurred near the Nowgam police station, killed at least nine people and left several others injured.
In response, the Inspector General of the CRPF, Pawan Kumar Sharma, arrived at the site to oversee relief operations.
The Director General of Police (DGP), Nalin Prabhat, also visited the scene to assess the situation.
Further, security personnel cordoned off the area around the police station to ensure safety, while officials remain on the spot to implement all precautionary protocols.
Director General of Police (DGP) Nalin Prabhat also visited the site and left after assessing the situation.
Investigations into the cause of the explosion are currently underway.
Authorities have urged the public to avoid the area and cooperate with security forces as rescue and inquiry operations continue.
A blast occurred near the premises of Nowgam police station in Jammu and Kashmir on Friday night. Security personnel are present at the scene, and sniffer dogs have been deployed to assist with the investigation.
The Deputy Commissioner of Srinagar, Akshay Labroo, visited the hospital to meet the victims injured in the blast.
Potential Link to Delhi Blast Investigated
Notably, the threads of the November 10 Delhi blast are linked to objectionable posters in the Nowgam area of Srinagar, for which an FIR was registered on October 19, sources have said, noting security forces took strong action to bust an inter-state Jaish-e-Mohammed module linked to the terror plot. (ANI)
Central Agencies Take Over Probe
As soon as news of the explosion came on Tuesday, Delhi Police and other security agencies rushed to the site.
Home Minister Amit Shah immediately directed NSG, NIA, and forensic teams to reach the location.
The injured were promptly taken to the nearest hospital and the ownership of the vehicle used in the blast was confirmed.
Essential DNA, explosive, and other samples have been collected from the site and sent for forensic examination.
The investigation has been handed over to the National Investigation Agency. (ANI)
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by Asianet Newsable English staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)