Nine people were killed and 32 were injured in a police station in the Indian-controlled part of Jammu and Kashmir late last night when explosives seized during an investigation into a suspected terrorist cell exploded, DPA reported, citing authorities, BTA reported.
Jammu and Kashmir Police Chief Nalin Prabhat said it was an “accidental explosion” while investigators were examining the explosives at the police station in Nowgam, Srinagar.
The building was severely damaged, and neighboring buildings were also affected, Prabhat said at a press conference this morning.
Among the dead in the explosion are investigating officers police officers and photographers, he said.
Five of the 32 injured are in critical condition, NDTV reported.
The explosives, chemicals and other materials being examined were part of a huge cache found on November 9 and 10 in Faridabad, a city on the outskirts of the Indian capital, Prabhat said.
They have been transported to Nowgam police station, where the first complaint in the case was registered, as per local investigation procedures.
Given the unstable and sensitive nature of explosives and chemicals, they are being handled with extreme care, the police chief said. “However, an accidental explosion occurred during the process. "Any further speculation about the cause of this incident is unnecessary," Prabhat added.
The blast at the police station came days after a car exploded at a busy intersection in front of the iconic Red Fort in Delhi on November 10, killing 10 people. The government has described the incident as a terrorist attack.
The links between the Delhi blast and the explosives found are being investigated.