Nowgam police station blast: Body parts found 300 metres away; police rule out terror angle – what we know so far

Both the Union Home Ministry and the Jammu and Kashmir Police have ruled out a terror angle in the blast that ripped through a police station in Nowgam, killing nine people and injuring 30 others on Friday night.

 

Jammu and Kashmir Director General of Police (DGP), Nalin Prabhat, termed it an “accidental explosion” during a mandated forensic procedure and stressed that any speculation about the incident was unnecessary.

 

According to police, the deceased included one State Investigative Agency (SIA) personnel, three members of the Forensic Science Laboratory team, two crime scene photographers, two revenue officials who were part of the magistrate’s team, and one tailor.

 

“In addition, 27 police personnel, two revenue officials and 3 civilians from the adjacent areas have received injuries, who were immediately evacuated to the nearest hospital,” Prabhat said.

 

The DGP acknowledged that the blast, which took place around 11.20 pm, was linked to the major seizure of explosive materials, chemicals, and reagents recovered from Haryana’s Faridabad on November 9 and 10. 

 

The Jammu and Kashmir Police have busted a terror module with imprints of Pakistan-based Jaish-e-Mohammed after it conducted multiple raids in Faridabad and seized nearly 3,000 kilograms of ammonium nitrate, potassium chlorate and sulphur. Nine people, including three doctors, have been arrested in the case.

 

Dr Umar Un Nabi, who drove the explosive-laden car during the recent blast near Delhi’s Red Fort, was a suspect in the Faridabad module.

 

Explosion felt 15 km away

 

The Nowgam police station explosion was so heavy that people living more than 15 kilometres away felt its impact, reports said on Saturday.

 

CCTV visuals circulating on social media showed smoke billowing from the area and firefighters battling to extinguish the flames. Several vehicles have been gutted in the fire.

 

The police station was almost destroyed in the blast, which also impacted several surrounding buildings.

 

According to some reports, body parts were thrown in neighbouring houses about 300 metres away.

 

Accidental incident, says MHA

 

Earlier, the Union Home Ministry termed the blast at Nowgam police station an “accidental incident” during a routine procedure of processing and forwarding the recovered explosive material for forensic and chemical examination.

 

"During the investigation in FIR No. 162/2025, officials recovered a large cache of explosive substances and chemicals, which had been stored in the open area of the police station as per procedure,” said Prashant Lokhande, Joint Secretary, Jammu and Kashmir Division (MHA).

 

"The government stands in solidarity with the families of the deceased in this hour of grief and assures all possible support to the injured," he said.

India