Gloom descends in valley! Explosives seized in Faridabad devastate Nowgam police station

NEW DELHI: The explosive device, seized last week from Faridabad, claimed the lives of nine people at a police station in Srinagar. The victims included policemen and forensic experts.

The blast took place at Srinagar's Nowgam station at around 11:30 pm on Friday. The incident took place during a forensic examination. 2,900 kg of ammonium nitrate, including that collected for blasts at four major centres in the country, was seized and sent for examination.

The 30 injured were admitted to the army's base hospital and the Sher-e-Kashmir Institute of Medical Sciences.

An officer of the State Investigation Agency, three forensic lab officials, two crime wing photographers, two revenue officials from the magistrate's team and a tailor who was cooperating with the investigation were killed. The station was destroyed. Nearby buildings were also damaged. Locals were evacuated from the area. Security forces were deployed.

The Union Home Ministry confirmed the incident as an accident and not a terrorist attack. Forensic examination was going on for two days.

Prashant Lokhande, Joint Secretary, Jammu and Kashmir Division, Ministry of Home Affairs, said that the "volatile nature" of some of the materials in the explosives caused the explosion.

1. A poster indicating that Jaish terrorists will carry out a series of blasts was found in Nowgam station limits. This is why mainour was brought to Kashmir.

2. The epicentre of the conspiracy is Jammu and Kashmir. The two arrested doctors and Dr Nabi, the mastermind behind the Delhi blasts, are Kashmiri natives

3. Explosives and rifles were seized from Faridabad on the 9th and 10th of this month. The arrested female doctor is a native of Lucknow

4. The NIA investigation unravelled the white-collar terrorism involving professionals, students and foreigners. Along with Pakistan, Turkey's role is also suspected.