The death toll from a high-intensity blast that ripped through a police station in J&K’s Nowgam area has risen to nine, officials said on Saturday morning. At least 29 others are injured, some critically, they added.
Authorities said the blast occurred around 11.30 pm on Friday night when the police and forensic experts were examining a cache of explosives recovered from a recent Faridabad raid as part of a ‘white terror’ module bust.
“A majority of the dead are policemen and forensic experts. Besides, some officials from civil administration, including a naib tehsildar and a local tailor, are also among the dead, while 29 others are injured. Some of the injured are in a critical condition,” said an official.
The explosives, mostly comprising ammonium nitrate, had been stored in the police station.
Officials added that identification of the dead is underway, as some of the bodies were completely burnt beyond recognition.
Also Read: Blast in J&K police station leaves 9 dead, 27 injured
The intensity of the blast was so huge that it caused some damage to the surrounding buildings even as body parts of the victims are being recovered from nearby houses, some around 100-200 metres away from the police station, the official added.
The injured have been admitted to the army’s 92 Base hospital in Srinagar and SKIMS Soura for treatment. Some have also been admitted to a local private hospital, he said.
Locals who attempted rescue after the blast describe the scenes as horrific, saying parts of victims’ bodies were found scattered all over the place. Additionally, shockwave of the blast was felt miles away.
Meanwhile, Ladakh’s Lieutenant Governor, Kavinder Gupta, on Saturday expressed grief over the blast, saying in a post on X, “Deeply anguished by the tragic explosion at Nowgam Police Station in Srinagar. My heartfelt condolences to the families of those who lost their lives, and prayers for the swift recovery of the injured.”
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