Accidental blast? Seized explosives from Faridabad detonate at Nowgam Police station in J&K: 9 dead, 25 injured

As many as 9 people were killed, with at least 27 injured, in a deadly accidental explosion at Nowgam Police Station located on the outskirts of Srinagar in Jammu and Kashmir. Small blasts took place in succession, damaging the entire police station. 

Officials stated that the blast occurred when the police and forensic teams were examining the explosive material seized from doctors in Faridabad. It was a small part of the 2,900 kg chemical cache recovered.

Was it an accidental blast?  

Several theories are emerging claiming that the blast wasn't really accidental. Late Friday night, the explosion took place while the seized explosives were being examined. Nowgam Police Station, where the explosives were stored, was the primary station dealing with the Faridabad terror module case. 

Among those injured, 24 were policemen, while three were civilians. They are undergoing treatment in Srinagar hospitals for burn injuries and blast trauma. 

The explosion is said to be linked with the same chain of events that unveiled the major terror module, with an investigation on for a terror act. However, police officials have stated that whether the blast was pre-planned or accidental will be determined only after further investigation. They have urged the public not to speculate until the probe continues. 

The explosives seized from Haryana busted a "white-collar terror module", which has been associated with Jaish-e-Mohammad and Ansar Ghazwat-ul-Hind operating across Jammu and Kashmir, Haryana, and Uttar Pradesh. 

Earlier, security forces had seized 360 kg of chemicals - ammonium nitrate, potassium nitrate, sulphur, along with some other materials from a rented residence of arrested doctor Muzammil Ganaie. Around 3,000 kg of explosives and bomb-making equipment have also been seized from this module. 

A timeline of the events so far: 

• The module's activities came to light after posters threatening security forces appeared in Bunpora, Nowgam, in October. After this, Srinagar Police registered a case on October 19. The first arrests were conducted with the help of CCTV footage, cracking down on three suspects - Arif Nisar Dar alias Sahil, Yasir-ul-Ashraf, and Maqsood Ahmad Dar alias Shahid. The three of them were engaged in stone pelting before, and were even seen pasting posters on the walls. 

• From their interrogation, police reached Maulvi Irfan Ahmad, a former paramedic who became an Imam from Shopian. He reportedly supplied posters to the three and also radicalised young doctors through his access to the medical community. 

• Investigators were led to Al Falah University, from where they arrested doctors, Muzammil Ahmad Ganaie and Shaheen Sayeed. 

• According to the police, the module's core consisted of three doctors: Muzammil Ganaie, Umar Nabi, and Muzaffar Rather. Adeel Rather, another doctor, was arrested after an AK-56 rifle was recovered from him. His role in the module is being investigated. 

• Linked to Delhi blast: Following a deadly car explosion in Delhi, which claimed at least 13 lives, a fresh explosion happened just four days later from the very same explosives. Umar drove the car near the Red Fort, which exploded on 10/11. With the arrest of the doctors from Faridabad and the successful bust of their module, Umar panicked and proceeded with the car explosion.