Nine dead as 'accidental' explosion hits Indian Illegally Occupied Kashmir

ISLAMABAD: An “accidental” explosion ripped through Nowgam police station in Srinagar, Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK), Friday night, killing nine people and injuring 27, mostly policemen and forensic officials, according to an Indian media report.

The explosion happened while authorities were extracting samples from a large cache of explosives confiscated in the “white-collar” terror module case.

“Accidental blast. Any other speculation is unnecessary. No terror attack,” Indian media outlet NDTV’s senior executive editor Aditya Raj Kaul said in a post on social media.

Those killed in the incident were three people from the Forensic Science Laboratory, two from the Revenue department, including a Naib Tehsildar, two police photographers, one member of the State Investigation Agency, and a tailor, the report said. 

The material, part of the 360 kilograms of explosives reportedly recovered from the rented residence of arrested doctor Muzammil Ganaie, was being sampled as part of the ongoing investigation.

The bodies were taken to the Police Control Room in Srinagar.

At least 24 police personnel and three civilians were admitted to various hospitals in the city.