Nowgam Police Station Blast: Was It Another Terror Attack?

Nowgam Police Station Blast: The incident in Nowgam is not a normal situation. This is the same area where, in mid-October, Jaish-e-Mohammed propaganda posters were found on walls in Bunpora, Nowgam. After seeing these posters, the police treated them as a serious threat and registered a case on October 19. The government also ordered a special team to investigate the matter.

CCTV Footage Leads to First Arrests
A detailed, frame-by-frame check of CCTV recordings helped the police identify three suspects. All three had previous cases related to stone pelting, and they were also involved in the propaganda poster case.

– Arif Nisar Dar (Sahil)
– Yasir-ul-Ashraf
– Maqsood Ahmad Dar (Shahid)

A Radical Network Linked to the Medical Field:
During questioning, police arrested Maulvi Irfan Ahmad, a former paramedic who is now an Imam, for allegedly radicalizing young medical workers.

The investigation then moved to Al Falah University in Faridabad, where two doctors, Dr. Shaheen Sayeed and Muzammil Ahmad Ganaie, were detained. Police recovered around 360 kg of explosives and chemicals from their rented space.

Also Read: Massive Blast at Nowgam Police Station in Srinagar

Police: The Nowgam Blast Was an Accident
Jammu and Kashmir Police stated that the explosion at the Nowgam Police Station was an accident, not a terror attack.
Police said the explosives were recovered earlier during anti-terror operations. Out of 120 explosive devices, eight were still waiting to be neutralized when the blast happened. A senior officer explained that the ammonium nitrate-based materials were highly unstable, which caused the accident.

NIA Takes Over the Case
The National Investigation Agency (NIA) has taken over the probe into the Nowgam blast. Forensic teams have collected DNA samples, explosive residue, and building materials to find out whether the blast happened due to improper handling or unexpected chemical reactions. Home Minister Amit Shah directed NIA, NSG, and forensic units to reach the site immediately. Akshay Labroo, Deputy Commissioner of Srinagar, also visited the injured officers at the hospital.