Srinagar, Nov 15: At least two residential houses adjacent to Police Station Nowgam suffered extensive damage after a late-night blast inside the station triggered severe shockwaves across the area. Locals living next to the police facility said the explosion was so powerful that they believed their houses had collapsed.
The families reported major structural damage, including shattered windows, broken interiors, dislodged ceiling panels, and collapsed kitchen cabinets. One of the affected women told Kashmir News Trust that the force of the blast was unlike anything they had ever experienced. “We thought the entire house had fallen and we were buried underneath. Everything inside was thrown apart. The loss is in crores,” she said, adding that some inmates sustained injuries and were shifted to hospital for treatment.
The impact on the residential structures was visible across multiple rooms, with walls cracked, furniture destroyed, and domestic appliances reduced to debris. Locals said the sudden boom sent shock and panic across the neighbourhood, forcing families to rush out in the dark.
According to police sources, the explosion took place when a forensic team, along with officers and the local Tehsildar, was inspecting a large quantity of ammonium nitrate that had been seized earlier. Officials have maintained that the incident was accidental and not related to any militant activity.
Police Station Nowgam itself has suffered significant damage. Multiple sections of the building were left in ruins, including inspection rooms and adjoining office spaces where the seized material had been stored. Portions of the ceiling collapsed, windowpanes were blown out, and office equipment was destroyed. A senior officer told Kashmir News Trust that the station’s structural assessment is underway to determine the full extent of the damage.
Authorities have cordoned off the area and initiated a detailed inquiry to ascertain how the blast occurred during the inspection process. [KNT]
