No Samples, No Safety: How Negligence From Faridabad to Srinagar Led to the Nowgam Blast

New Delhi: One of the ammonium nitrate packets recovered from Faridabad at the behest of terrorist Dr. Muzammil Jalil was found fully detonated. This packet caused a massive explosion at the Nowgam police station on Friday night, destroying the station premises and killing nine people. The incident has raised serious questions about police functioning and security preparedness.Following the blast, experts from the NIA, CRPF, Jammu and Kashmir Police's FSL team, and the Special Investigation Team (SIA) arrived at the scene. They inspected the entire area and collected several samples for testing.

Questions raised about the storage of explosives at the police station

The blast has raised questions about why such a large quantity of explosive material was stored in a simple police station, when the security of such sensitive material requires specialized resources and facilities, which were not available at the Nowgam police station. While officials have ruled out the possibility of a terrorist plot, many experts consider the incident a serious lapse.

Impact felt several kilometers away

The intensity of the Friday night blast was so great that the tremor was felt far and wide. The walls of nearby houses shook, and many people rushed out in panic. Nine people have been confirmed dead and 32 seriously injured in the incident. The blast occurred while police and forensic teams were collecting samples of explosives related to the "white-collar terror module" case recovered from Faridabad.

Over three tons of ammonium nitrate brought from Faridabad

According to sources, the explosives recovered from the terrorist module included over three tons of ammonium nitrate and other materials. These packets were brought to Nowgam police station in a pickup van on Monday and Tuesday, following the instructions of Dr. Muzammil. Each packet was opened, samples taken, and resealed in the presence of officials and witnesses. This process had been ongoing since Thursday, and it was the turn of the final few packets on Friday night.

The explosion occurred as soon as the packet was opened

According to the investigation team, it's possible that one packet wasn't entirely ammonium nitrate but had been pre-prepared for an IED—mixed with oil or other chemicals. As soon as the packet was opened, the explosive activated, causing a massive explosion.

In addition, other explosives present at the scene also increased the intensity of the blast.

Retired police officer raises serious questions

A former police officer described the incident as serious negligence. He said:

• Sampling the explosives at night was a very risky step.
• Samples could have been taken on the spot in Faridabad the same day.
• Staying such a large quantity of explosives in a small police station located in a residential area was wrong.
• If the fire had spread further, it could have caused significant damage to nearby homes.
• He said that handling explosives late at night is avoided, especially when they were recovered from a terrorist module.

Suspected terrorist plot, have some organizations claimed responsibility?

Some sources have claimed that some terrorist organizations attempted to claim responsibility for the blast on online platforms. However, the police have not officially confirmed this claim.

Senior officials visited the scene

Following the blast, Director General of Police Nalin Prabhat, the CRPF ADGP, and other senior officials visited the Nowgam police station. They assessed the damage and held a review meeting with security agencies regarding the current security situation in the valley. The NIA, SIA, FSL, CIK, and other specialist teams have also collected samples and initiated investigations.

Area completely cordoned off, movement restricted

Following the blast, the Nowgam police station and surrounding areas have been completely sealed. Public movement has been restricted, and security forces have increased surveillance throughout the area.