New Delhi: Preliminary reports indicate the Nowgam blast was an accidental explosion that occurred during the forensic sampling of seized explosives, not a terrorist attack. Initial investigations suspected that a liquid mixture of hydrogen peroxide and acetophenone, or potentially excessive lighting used by the forensic team for the examination, triggered the volatile materials.
An official said that the explosion was caused by a large cache of seized explosive materials, including 360 kg of ammonium nitrate, which was being stored at the police station for forensic examination.
The explosives were part of a large haul recovered from Al-Falah University in Faridabad, Haryana, during an investigation into a “white-collar” terror module linked to the Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM) outfit.
The nine individuals who died included an officer from the State Investigation Agency (SIA), three forensic science laboratory (FSL) personnel, two crime-scene photographers, two revenue officials, and a tailor.
Both the Jammu & Kashmir Director General of Police (DGP) Nalin Prabhat and the Ministry of Home Affairs Joint Secretary Prashant Lokhande confirmed the accidental nature of the blast, ruling out a terror angle and urging against speculation.
However, Kashmir-based politicians had raised questions and demanded a time-bound probe and accountability to be fixed. MP Srinagar -Budgam Aga Syed Ruhullah Mehdi said, “ Nowgam Blast is a big Lapse. Who has handled such a huge quantity of explosive unprofessionally should be identified, and accountability should be fixed.”
The exact cause of the accident is still under investigation, with final reports pending from the Central Forensic Science Laboratory (CFSL) and a National Security Guard (NSG) bomb disposal team.
The site has been sealed by FSL teams as the probe continues. The J&K government has assured support for the victims’ families and announced that medical bills for the injured will be covered.
