Srinagar (Jammu and Kashmir) [India], November 15 (HBTV): At least nine people have died and several others were injured after a blast occurred near the premises of Nowgam police station in Jammu and Kashmir on Friday night, police said.
Inspector General of the CRPF Pawan Kumar Sharma rushed to the site soon after the explosion to oversee relief efforts and assess security measures. Security personnel subsequently cordoned off the area around the police station to ensure safety, while officials remained on the spot to implement precautionary protocols.
Director General of Police Nalin Prabhat also visited the site and left after assessing the situation. Investigations into the cause of the explosion are currently underway, and authorities have urged the public to avoid the area and cooperate with security forces as rescue and inquiry operations continue.
Sniffer dogs have been deployed to aid the investigation, and additional teams are monitoring the surroundings. Deputy Commissioner of Srinagar Akshay Labroo visited the hospital to meet those injured in the incident.
According to sources, the threads of the November 10 Delhi blast are linked to objectionable posters in the Nowgam area, for which an FIR was registered on October 19. Security forces took action to dismantle an inter-state Jaish-e-Mohammed module connected to the terror plot.
During the investigation, two arrests were made from Shopian and Ganderbal between October 20 and 27. On November 5, a medical practitioner, Dr Adil, was apprehended from Saharanpur in Uttar Pradesh. Two days later, an AK-56 rifle and other ammunition were seized from Anantnag Hospital, followed by the recovery of guns, pistols, and explosives from a location in Faridabad.
Interrogation of the accused led to the identification of others involved in the module. Dr Muzammil, a doctor from Al Falah Medical College in Faridabad, was arrested, and subsequent raids resulted in multiple arrests and the seizure of a large quantity of weapons and explosives.
On November 9, an individual named Madrasi, a resident of Dhauj in Faridabad, was arrested from his home. The next day, a consignment of 2,563 kilograms of explosives was recovered from the house of Hafeez Mohammad Ishtiaq, an Imam at Al Falah Mosque in Faridabad’s Dhera Colony. Additional raids led to the recovery of 358 kilograms of explosive material, detonators, and timers, bringing the total seized quantity to nearly 3,000 kilograms.
Sources said that Umar, another member of the module and a medical practitioner at Al Falah Medical College, changed locations frequently as security forces intensified their crackdown. CCTV footage indicates that Umar was driving the vehicle involved in the Red Fort explosion, which was caused by material similar to the explosives seized from Faridabad.
Whether the blast was pre-planned or accidental will be determined during further investigation. Security agencies said the Faridabad module was fully dismantled, preventing a major conspiracy aimed at causing large-scale damage.
Authorities added that Umar fled in panic following the crackdown, and his movements likely contributed to the Red Fort explosion. The motive behind the blast will be established after a detailed probe, but officials said it is part of the same sequence of events surrounding the exposure of the terrorist module.
As soon as news of the Delhi explosion emerged on Tuesday, Delhi Police and other security agencies rushed to the site. Home Minister Amit Shah directed NSG, NIA, and forensic teams to assist. The injured were taken to the nearest hospital and the ownership of the vehicle used in the blast was confirmed.
Essential DNA, explosive, and other samples collected from the site have been sent for forensic examination. The National Investigation Agency has taken over the investigation.
(ANI)