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9 killed, 32 injured in ‘accidental blast’ in Nowgam police station: J&K DGP
J&K DGP Nalin Prabhat says ‘accidental blast’ occurred at 11.20pm on Friday
Nine people were killed and 32 injured in an accidental blast at the Nowgam police station on the outskirts of Srinagar on Friday night when police and forensic experts were extracting samples from a cache of explosives recovered from Faridabad, Jammu and Kashmir Police chief Nalin Prabhat said on Saturday.
Addressing a press conference in Srinagar, Prabhat said a huge quantity of explosive substances, chemicals and reagents were recovered from the terror module busted in Faridabad on November 10. “Samples of the recovery had to be forwarded for further forensic and chemical examination. On account of the voluminous nature of the recovery, this process was going on for the past two days, which means Friday and the day before by the forensic science lab team. Due to the unstable and sensitive nature of the recovery, the sampling process and the handling was being conducted with utmost caution. Unfortunately, during this course, around 11.20pm on Friday, an accidental explosion took place. Any other speculation into the cause of this incident is unnecessary.”
He said the nine killed comprised a special investigation team (SIA) personnel of the J&K Police, three members of the FSL team, two crime scene photographers, two revenue officials who were part of the magistrate’s team, and a tailor associated with the team.
The 32 injured included 27 policemen, two revenue officers and three civilians from the area adjoining Nowgam police station.
“The building of the police station has been extensively damaged and adjacent buildings have also been affected. The extent of this damage is being ascertained. The cause of this unfortunate incident is being investigated,” the DGP said.
Officials said the team of police, forensic experts and revenue officials were collecting samples and placing them in small bags when the explosion took place. The explosives were part of the recovery after the Faridabad terror module was busted as part of the investigation in FIR number 162 registered at Nowgam police station.
The Red Fort blast in Delhi that claimed 13 lives is linked to the case registered at Nowgam on October 19 after terror outfit Jaish-e-Mohammed posters warning of a “spectacular attack” were recovered. Investigation led J&K Police to bust an inter-state JeM module in Haryana’s Faridabad and seizure of nearly 3,000kg of inflammable material, chemicals and reagents. Two clerics, including Shopian-based Irfan Wagay, and several doctors were part of the module.
During investigation into the posters, the police picked up three persons who had appeared in the CCTV footage and found they were former stone-pelters. During their interrogation, the name of cleric Irfan Wagay came up. He was the imam (religious preacher) at Chanpora mosque in Srinagar. The police found he was part of the broader network of the urban support cells of terror outfits JeM and Ansar Ghazwat-ul-Hind (AGuH).
Following his interrogation, the police arrested Arif Nisar Dar, alias Sahil, Yasir-ul-Ashraf and Maqsood Ahmad Dar, alias Shahid – all from Nowgam, Zameer Ahmad Ahanger, alias Mutlasha of Ganderbal, Dr Muzammil Ahmad Ganaie, alias Musaib of Koil, Pulwama, and Dr Aadil Rather of Wanpora, Kulgam. Police also recovered the JeM posters from Irfan Wagay’s house.
The consignment of explosives, weighing 2,563kg was recovered from the house of Hafeez Mohammad Ishtiaq, a resident of Mewat and an imam at Al Falah mosque in Faridabad’s Dhera Colony, on November 10 morning. In subsequent raids, 358kg of additional explosive material, detonators, and timers were seized.
During these operations, Dr Umar un Nabi, also part of the module and working as a medical practitioner at Al Falah Medical College, allegedly carried out the explosion in his car in the busy Red Fort traffic on November 10 evening. The blast was caused by the same type of material stockpiled in Faridabad.
