Agencies probe Nowgam police station 'accidental blast' site

Srinagar: A bomb disposal squad from National Security Guard and Central Forensic Science Laboratory teams from Delhi and Chandigarh on Sunday inspected the Nowgam police station site where the "accidental blast" took place. Officials said forensic experts, who were part of the two teams sampling the seized explosives, remain key in further investigations.

According to officials, two teams of forensic experts - one from the Forensic Science Laboratory and another from J&K Police's Mobile District Forensic Lab - were part of the sampling process. "Four people, including a scientific officer, assistant scientific officer, an assistant and a driver, were part of each team. Eight people were deputed to the spot. Unfortunately, three of the eight people were killed in the blast. Accounts of the scientific officers, who were part of the teams, remain critical in establishing what happened inside the police station," said an official.

J&K DGP Nalin Prabhat has stated that this was "an accidental blast and any other speculation is unnecessary". However, the blast raises questions on handling of the explosives and whether SOPs were followed or not. Three people from the Forensic Science Laboratory, two from the revenue department, two police photographers, one member of the state investigation agency (SIA) and a tailor were killed in the blast.


"They had requested us; we must have sent our persons to that place. I don't know anything. Experts shall tell you better, but I don't know who the experts are," Forensic Science Laboratory director Om Prakash told ET. He was in Jammu when the teams were sent to the spot in Srinagar. FSL deputy director (technical) Syed Ishfaq Manzoor said SIA and police had requested for a team and as per standing orders, teams were sent.

"This was not a normal crime scene... They were called to the police station. SOP is when we get a call, we depute a team led by scientific officers. On the spot they decide how to go ahead," Manzoor told ET. "It is a miraculous escape for some members of the team. What happened there can be ascertained by the two teams who were present on the ground," he said.