The seized arsenal, weighing 360 kilograms of explosive chemicals, which came from the home of the detained doctor Muzammil Janai, was stored at the Nowgam police station in the Indian city of Srinagar. As the Times of India reported, an accidental explosion while handling these explosives killed at least nine people on Friday night, including police and administrative officials. In addition, the incident resulted in the injury of at least 32 people, most of whom were forensic agents and specialists charged with dealing with confiscated materials.
The authorities began investigating the method of storing the arsenal inside the police station, after a team of forensic experts analyzed and extracted samples of the seized explosives. The Times of India newspaper reported that the bodies of the victims were transferred to the police control center in Srinagar, where the identity of the deceased was identified.
Among the injured were 27 policemen, two Finance Ministry officials, and three civilians who sustained varying injuries. All of them were transferred to different hospitals in Srinagar to receive specialized medical care, according to what was reported by the Times of India newspaper.
The explosion occurred inside the police station while forensic teams were working directly on the cache that had been recovered from Muzammil Criminal’s home. The chemical substance was recently seized after its owner was arrested, according to the authorities reported by the aforementioned media.
The local administration focused its attention on explaining why the arsenal was stored and protected at the police station and not in facilities specialized in hazardous materials. According to the aforementioned source, police officers are cooperating with the internal investigation, which aims to review the retention and seizure protocols for the seized explosive materials.
The presence of treasury officials among those injured responds to the administrative authorities’ need for audits and registration of the confiscated arsenal, according to information provided by the Times of India newspaper. The forensic mission, which included classification and sampling, aimed to determine the exact composition of the explosives and their level of danger.
Various emergency teams from the city participated in the process of transporting the victims, noting that the injured suffered varying injuries, and the police station was temporarily closed while managing the incident and collecting evidence. The authorities have not yet provided details about the exact technical causes of the explosion, while the ongoing investigation seeks to clarify whether the usual safety standards in this type of procedure were respected.
Following the event, the Srinagar community expressed concern about the handling and storage of hazardous materials in facilities not designed for these purposes. According to the Times of India newspaper, the authorities will review the seizure procedures for the seized arsenals to avoid similar incidents.
Indian media also highlighted that the relatives of the deceased and injured have been notified, and the first official investigation reports are expected to be published, while the police maintained a security cordon in the area to avoid interfering with the work of the experts.
The Times of India reported that the police operation that resulted in the confiscation of the arsenal at Muzammil Criminal’s home took place after his arrest, although the authorities did not provide additional details about the reason for his arrest or the possible link of the confiscated materials to criminal organizations or activities.
The impact of the explosion has sparked debate about the training, equipment and safety conditions of forensic teams and police personnel in high-risk operations. According to the Times of India newspaper, Srinagar hospitals strengthened their capacity to cope with the massive influx of wounded, providing care to both clients, administrative staff and civilians affected by the accident.
The Nogam police station will remain under surveillance until investigations are completed. The aforementioned media explained that the regional government is monitoring the situation of the injured in the hospital, although it has not yet confirmed whether any of the victims are still in critical condition.
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