Blast at Police Station in Indian-Administered Kashmir Leaves Nine Dead

A major explosion at a police station in Srinagar, the main city of Indian-administered Kashmir, has left at least nine people dead and 29 others injured. The blast occurred late on Friday night at the Nowgam police station, where a large cache of confiscated explosives was stored. Initial reports indicate that the explosives accidentally detonated while police personnel and forensic experts were examining them. Authorities have confirmed that the explosion was not a terror attack but an “unfortunate incident”.

According to a source quoted by Reuters, efforts to identify the victims are still under way, as several bodies were severely burned in the blast. The intensity of the explosion was enormous; body parts were found scattered across nearby houses located 100–200 metres from the police station. Most of those killed were members of the police and forensic teams who were present during the examination of the explosive materials. Two officials from the Srinagar district administration were also among the dead. Reports suggest that with five critically injured individuals still fighting for their lives, the death toll may increase.

NDTV journalist Aditya Raj Kaul stated on social media that police have ruled out terrorism as the cause, calling it simply a tragic accident. The incident comes at a time of heightened concern, occurring just days after a deadly car explosion in New Delhi that killed at least 12 people near the historic Red Fort. Authorities have labelled the Delhi blast a terror attack, and several suspects were arrested shortly before the explosion. Police recovered explosive substances and assault rifles, linking the suspects to Jaish-e-Muhammad (JeM), a Pakistan-based militant group, and its Kashmir affiliate Ansar Ghazwat-ul-Hind.

Following the Delhi incident, security forces in Indian-administered Kashmir detained more than 650 people for questioning. The Nowgam police station, where the accidental blast took place, had been involved in investigating posters allegedly displayed by JeM in the surrounding area. These posters reportedly threatened future attacks on security forces and “outsiders”. Investigations into the posters revealed what police described as a “white-collar terror ecosystem” involving educated professionals and students radicalised and connected to handlers abroad, particularly in Pakistan.

During the wider crackdown, police also recovered nearly 3,000 kilograms of explosive material, which they say was being stockpiled for a major attack inside India. Authorities believe the dismantling of this network may have prevented a massive terror operation.

This accidental explosion comes within the larger historical and political context of Kashmir, a region claimed by both India and Pakistan since their independence and partition in 1947. The Himalayan territory has been divided between the two countries for decades, sparking three major wars and continuous tensions. Periodic outbreaks of violence, militant activity, security operations, and political disputes keep the region volatile. The latest incidents—both the accidental blast in Srinagar and the terror-linked explosion in New Delhi—have further intensified security concerns and underline the ongoing instability tied to Kashmir’s long-standing conflict.