Nine killed after explosives detonate inside Kashmir police station

At least nine people were killed and nearly thirty others injured after confiscated explosives accidentally detonated inside a police station in Nowgam, in Indian-administered Kashmir.

The explosion happened late on Friday night while forensic teams were examining the seized material. Police said most of the victims were officers and specialists working inside the compound, with several of the injured in critical condition.

Eyewitness Tareek Ahmed described scenes of devastation moments after the blast.
"There was an explosion, and we got scared… When we reached, we saw everything devastated, a lot of smoke, dead bodies and displaced body parts. May God save them all."

Officials said the explosion tore through the building and set parts of the station on fire, forcing emergency teams to evacuate the wounded to nearby hospitals.

Director General of Police Nalin Prabhat confirmed the scale of casualties and urged the public not to speculate about the cause.

"In this unfortunate incident, nine people have lost their lives, 27 police personnel, two revenue officials and three civilians from the adjacent areas have received injuries... Last night, around 11.20 pm, an accidental explosion took place. Any other speculation into the cause of this incident is unnecessary."

He said the seized explosives were being examined “with extreme caution” by forensic teams when the blast occurred.

The incident comes days after a deadly car explosion in New Delhi killed eight people, heightening national concerns over safety and security. Authorities in Kashmir say an investigation is underway to determine how the stored explosives ignited and whether any procedural lapses contributed to the blast.

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