J&K Update: Naugam Police Station Blast Sparks Major Questions Over Safety Protocols

A massive blast rocked the Naugam Police Station on Friday night at 11:22 pm during the testing of 358 kg of ammonium nitrate seized from the Faridabad-based white-collar terror module. The explosion killed nine people, all of whom were Jammu and Kashmir Police personnel and forensic officials. The incident has triggered serious questions about why such a large quantity of active explosive material was stored inside a densely populated residential area. Experts argue that explosive samples should either be destroyed at secure locations or stored under strict safety protocols. Another concerning point is the five-day gap explosives recovered on 9 November were tested only on 14 November. SOPs clearly state that local police should not handle active explosives without support from specialized agencies. A similar case 22 years ago saw J&K Police hand over samples to Chandigarh Police, which safely stored them at CFSL amid sandbags. Authorities now face scrutiny for overlooking crucial safety measures.