Nowgam (Srinagar), J&K — Police Station Explosion - 14 November 2025

Executive summary

On Friday, 14 Nov 2025, a reported accidental explosion occurred at the Nowgam Police Station compound in Srinagar while forensic/police teams were examining and sampling a large cache of explosives which had been seized earlier as part of an investigation. At least 9 people were killed and roughly 27–32 persons were injured. Authorities have treated the blast as an accident during handling of seized explosive material, and a formal inquiry is underway.

According to sources, the Nowgam Police had busted a terror module and had recovered a large cache of explosives and chemicals. The seized items were being held in an open area with the premises of the police station under FIR No. 162/2025 in accordance with standard procedures.

The recovered substances/items were being analyzed and processed by several agencies for forensic and chemical analysis. According to the released reports the cache included 360 kg of explosives. These were recovered from a rented house of the arrested doctor Muzammil Ganaie. While officials transported some of the explosive material to the police forensic laboratory, the bulk remained stored at the Nowgam Police Station, where the primary case related to the terror network had been registered.

The massive explosion of Nowgam Police Station on 14 Nov 2025

On Friday during the routine processing, an accidental detonation took place. This was stated by Prashant Lokhande, Joint Secretary, Jammu & Kashmir Division (MHA). Even though Lokhande has called the cause for the incident an accidental blast on basis of preliminary findings, he has also stressed that the precise cause is still being investigated. He has appealed to the public to avoid speculation until all technical assessments are entirely completed.

The blast killed 9 individuals instantly and left 27 police personnel, two revenue officials, and three civilians wounded. The injured individuals were moved to nearby hospitals for urgent care and treatment.

The explosion destroyed the police station while several surrounding structures were also reported to have been damaged due to the blast.

The government has expressed deep condolences, stating it “stands in solidarity with the families of the deceased” and assured full support for the injured.

Timeline leading to the incident

9–10 Nov 2025: Police recovered large quantities of explosive chemicals in earlier raids, parts of which were transported to Srinagar for forensic processing.
14 Nov 2025, 23:20 IST: During sampling of the seized materials, the explosives detonated with massive force. Fires and secondary explosions followed.
Aftermath: Emergency services responded; injured were taken to local hospitals. Senior officials visited the site and hospitals; compensation for victims announced.

Casualties

Fatalities: 9 dead, including police personnel, forensic staff and other officials.
Injuries: Approximately 27–32 injured, several critical.

Cause and materials

Authorities state the explosion appeared accidental during sampling of seized explosive substances, including volatile nitrate-based materials. No evidence of an external militant attack has been established publicly.

Official response

Multi‑agency involvement including J&K Police, Forensic Science Laboratory, and Ministry of Home Affairs.
Ex‑gratia compensation: ₹10 lakh for families of deceased, ₹1 lakh for injured.

Investigative status

A scientific inquiry is examining storage procedures, SOP compliance, ignition mechanism, and chain-of-custody records. No final forensic report has been released publicly.

The seized material was reportedly linked to Faridabad recoveries in a wider terror‑related probe. The incident raised concerns around protocols for handling high‑risk explosive evidence.

It may be expected that the authorities will utilize the possible preserved CCTV, accumulated witness statements, chain‑of‑custody documentation for analysis and use it as a part of investigation. The Multi‑agency forensic panel may also reconstruct blast dynamics, including an Independent SOP audit on evidence handling. It would be imperative to also publish an interim timeline to reduce misinformation if any with official.

References (major open‑source reporting)