A day after the deadly accidental explosion at Nowgam Police Station in Srinagar left nine people dead, security forces in Jammu and Kashmir uncovered another major threat. On Saturday, police and Army personnel detected an improvised explosive device (IED) during a cordon-and-search operation in the Thanamandi region of Rajouri district. It successfully neutralised it before it could cause harm.
Officials said the explosive was discovered near a residential structure in Upper Bangai village when a patrol team noticed suspicious material during the search. The area was immediately sealed off, and the bomb disposal squad was rushed to the location. After assessing the device's size and sensitivity, the squad determined that the safest course of action was a controlled detonation. The IED was subsequently destroyed on site.
The controlled blast caused some structural damage to the house belonging to Mohammad Akbar, but no injuries were reported. Authorities had evacuated the residents and nearby families well in advance to ensure their safety. Police later said the operation reflected heightened vigilance in the wake of recent terror-linked recoveries across the region.
This discovery came less than 24 hours after the tragic incident at Nowgam Police Station, where a massive explosion occurred while officials were handling a large cache of explosives seized earlier in connection with the Faridabad terror module. The materials were being checked, documented, and sealed in the presence of a magistrate when the blast erupted.
Although a shadow outfit of Jaish-e-Muhammad, the People’s Anti-Fascist Front (PAFF), issued a claim taking responsibility for the explosion, Jammu and Kashmir Director General of Police Nalin Prabhat categorically rejected such assertions. He said the blast was “purely accidental” and that claims by militant groups were attempts to exploit the tragedy for propaganda.
The Nowgam explosion claimed the lives of nine officials, including an officer from the State Investigation Agency, three members of the Forensic Science Laboratory, two personnel from the crime wing, two revenue officials, and a tailor assisting the team. The force of the blast also injured 32 people—27 police personnel, two revenue staffers, and three civilians.
The police station suffered extensive structural damage, and adjoining buildings were also impacted by the shockwave. A detailed assessment of property loss and the cause of the accidental detonation is still underway as investigators piece together the sequence of events that led to the tragedy.
