On Friday night, a powerful and sudden explosion ripped through the Nowgam Police Station in Srinagar, killing nine as well as injuring about 32 others, according to the officials.
This explosion has been a shock on the part of the region, as there are serious questions of how such a tragedy can take place in a police plant.
What Happened
The blast occurred at approximately 11:20 p.m., when forensic personnel, the police, and local authorities were inspecting a massive amount of recovered explosives.
They were the explosives that were previously detained during an investigation of a terror cell and were undergoing analysis and collecting samples in a controlled open space within the police station.
The Jammu and Kashmir Director General of Police Nalin Prabhat stated that the materials were volatile and sensitive, and despite great precaution, they exploded.
The DGP highly refuted any premeditated assault and dismissed witnessing any form of speculation of a terrorism attack.
Devastating Impact
The intensity of the blast was such that it flattened the sections of the police station building, along with the destruction of automobiles in the nearby areas, and solidified the debris movement over a very vast distance.
Stunningly, it was described that the human remains were discovered as far as 300 meters away, remarkable in an outlier of the impact of the explosion.
This also caused a number of homes to be structurally damaged in the surroundings, and some individuals are still in ruins under which rescue operations are ongoing.
Some of the individuals that were killed included forensic laboratory employees, policemen, a tailor, and employees in the revenue department.
Others are very serious as the wounded are rushed to the nearby hospitals.
Response from Authorities
Manoj Sinha, the Lieutenant Governor of Jammu and Kashmir, is devastated and ordered a complete probe into the blast. Extremely grieved by the death of good lives. I have commissioned a probe to determine what caused the accidental explosion.
Many leaders also responded with sadness at the political front. Jammu & Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah even gave condolences to the families of the victims.
The former Chief Minister, Farooq Abdullah, called it an error and demanded an extensive investigation.
Denying Terror Claims
Very soon, a shadow organization called PAFF, purportedly affiliated with the Jaish-e-Mohammad based in Pakistan, came forward and took claim of the bombing.
However, the J&K Police responded swiftly and declared such allegations as unsubstantiated and malicious.
The police restated that all indications of an accidental explosion and not a terror attack are all there.
Besides, this assessment was supported by the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA), which officially eliminated the terror aspect in this case.
What Led to the Explosion
That consignment of explosives was initially recovered in Faridabad and taken to Srinagar, where it was to undergo forensic scrutiny.
Thanks to the sensitivity of the materials, the specialists of the Forensic Science Laboratory had been operating carefully on the materials over two days
Regrettably, something did go wrong in the process of sealing or sampling, which resulted in the explosion.
Next Steps
They are conducting a formal investigation, and the teams were investigating the procedures of handling as well as the manner in which the materials were stored.
The way such volatile matter was transferred and stored at a police station is also under review by the authorities.
The families of the victims are also seeking answers and justice, and the political leaders are also seeking more accountability when it comes to handling seized explosives.
This unfortunate event is a vivid lesson on the risks of working with explosives, even when it is left to authorized professionals.
As terror groups made attempts to boast of the attacks, the authorities have fought back hard, claiming that the blast was a terrible accident, but not an attack.
