The centre clarified on Friday evening that the blast in Nowgam police station was due to a forensic accident. Nine people died in the ill-fated accident, and the toll is only expected to increase.
A close source revealed that a forensic sampling procedure was being conducted since it was expected to be submitted by Friday night. The explosives used in the Red Fort blast linked module were stored in an open area inside the police station. The Joint Secretary of the J&K division of the Home Ministry, Prashant Lokhande, stated that the blast took place at around 11:20 pm inside the station. The explosives stored were from the interrogation of the terror module linked to the Delhi blast.
He confirmed that investigation agencies are working together in coordination, and the recovered samples of the explosives will be further handled by the forensic team as part of the standard procedure. He stated that since the explosives were more, the facility had been working for the past two days, but the unfortunate accident occurred at 11:20, injuring several people and killing others.
Lokhande also confirmed that the cause of the accident was being investigated, and speculating on something else is unnecessary, ensuring that the government is with the families of the deceased during their tough times. A senior official of the Jammu and Kashmir Police revealed that the blast was loud and was heard as far as 30 km away from the location.
He also added that the flames engulfed the police station and nearby vehicles, while barracks housing several police personnel were also damaged. The police station in question is one of the most important ones conducting investigations that busted the terror module linked to Jaish-e-Muhammad. The Nowgam station was also involved in the probe regarding JeM posters, which led to locations in Uttar Pradesh and Haryana, unveiling the alleged interstate module that was also involved in the Delhi blast.
