Nine people have been killed and 32 injured after a stockpile of confiscated explosives accidentally blew up at a police station in Indian-administered Kashmir, police said.
This incident follows a recent car blast in Delhi, labeled a 'terror incident' by the government.
The explosion occurred on Friday evening at the Nowgam police station, where the explosives, seized from Faridabad in Haryana, were being stored for forensic testing. Nalin Prabhat, the region's director general of police, stated that a 'very unfortunate' mishap occurred during handling, leading to the detonation around 23:20 local time (17:50 GMT).
Police confirmed that it was an accidental detonation, not a terrorist attack. The police chief urged for no further speculation regarding the cause of the incident, emphasizing the need for a focus on the ongoing investigation.
The explosion caused severe damage to the police station and affected nearby structures. Multiple vehicles were also damaged, engulfed in flames, with debris scattered across the site. Sources reported that the blast's intensity was such that body parts were found as far as 100-200 meters away.
Most of the victims included police officers, forensic personnel, and two crime scene photographers. Manoj Sinha, the Lieutenant Governor appointed by the Indian government, expressed his condolences and ordered an investigation to ascertain the cause of the explosion. He shared his anguish over the loss of lives on social media, promising to ensure accountability in this tragic incident.
