At least nine people were killed and nearly 30 others wounded after a devastating explosion ripped through a police station in Srinagar, the capital of Indian-administered Kashmir. Authorities say the blast occurred late Friday night when a cache of confiscated explosive material detonated during a forensic examination.

Explosives Detonate During Investigation in Nowgam Police Station

The incident unfolded at the Nowgam police station, located in the southern part of Srinagar. According to police sources, a large stockpile of seized explosive devices was being inspected as part of an ongoing investigation when the explosion erupted without warning.

One official told Reuters that the blast was so powerful that some bodies were burned beyond recognition, and body parts were found up to 200 metres from the police station.

Most of the victims were police officers and forensic experts who were handling the seized materials. Two officials from the local Srinagar administration also lost their lives in the explosion. With several survivors still in critical condition, the death toll may rise.

NDTV’s senior executive editor Aditya Raj Kaul confirmed on social media that the event was not classified as a terror attack, calling it a “very unfortunate incident” that occurred during forensic testing.

Blast Follows Deadly Terror Attack in New Delhi

The tragedy in Srinagar comes just days after a deadly car bombing in New Delhi that killed at least 12 people near the historic Red Fort. Indian officials have labelled the New Delhi attack an act of terror.

The explosion in the capital took place only hours after authorities arrested several suspects and seized a significant quantity of explosive materials and assault rifles. Police allege the individuals had ties to:

• Jaish-e-Muhammad (JeM) — a Pakistan-based armed group
• Ansar Ghazwat-ul-Hind — a Kashmir-linked offshoot associated with JeM

In response to the Delhi attack, police in Indian-administered Kashmir detained more than 650 individuals as part of a sweeping regional investigation.

Posters, Threats, and a Growing ‘Terror Ecosystem’

According to officials, the Nowgam police station had recently been leading inquiries into a series of threatening posters attributed to JeM. These posters warned that the armed group planned attacks on both security personnel and so-called “outsiders”.

Authorities said their investigation into the posters uncovered an alleged “white-collar terror ecosystem” involving radicalised professionals and students operating under the direction of foreign handlers in Pakistan and other countries.

During the probe, police recovered nearly 3,000kg (3 tonnes) of explosive material—an amount they say was capable of enabling a major coordinated attack in India.

Longstanding Kashmir Tensions Add to Regional Instability

The blast has heightened public anxiety in a region already marred by decades of conflict. Kashmir has remained one of the world’s most militarised and politically contested territories since India and Pakistan gained independence from British rule in 1947.

Both nations claim Kashmir in full, but each controls only a portion. They have fought three major wars over the region, and cross-border tensions between New Delhi and Islamabad continue to simmer.

The latest explosion, though reportedly accidental, highlights the persistent volatility in Indian-administered Kashmir—where armed groups, security forces, and political friction frequently collide.