Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Saturday expressed grief and concern over the deadly blast at Naugam police station in Srinagar district, calling the incident a sad reminder of the risks faced by security personnel engaged in sensitive investigations.
Nine personnel were killed and 32 others were injured in an accidental explosion inside Naugam police station late on Friday night that also caused heavy damage to a nearby building.
In a post on Twitter, the Congress leader described the incident as “extremely heartbreaking and worrying” and said the loss of life during the investigation underlines the dangers involved in handling high-risk material linked to ongoing terrorism investigations.
Rahul Gandhi wrote, “The blast at Naugam police station in Jammu and Kashmir, in which several security personnel were martyred and many others injured, is extremely heartbreaking and worrying. Reports indicate that this horrific accident occurred during the investigation of explosives related to the Red Fort attack. I pay my humble tributes to the martyrs and wish the speedy recovery of the injured.”
The Naugam blast comes just days after a car blast near Delhi’s Red Fort on November 10 that killed 12 people, highlighting the growing threat of terrorism in the country.
The blast occurred as officials were investigating explosives suspected to be linked to the November 10 attack on the Red Fort that left 12 people dead and several others injured.
Meanwhile, Indian National Congress (INC) President Mallikarjun Kharge on Saturday strongly condemned the blast at a police station in Jammu and Kashmir’s Naugam that left nine people dead and 24 injured.
In a post on Twitter, Kharge expressed his heartfelt condolences to the families of the deceased and called for immediate medical care for the injured. He also urged for adequate compensation to be given to the victims and their families.
He wrote, “It is extremely sad and disappointing to know that nine precious lives have been lost and 24 people have been injured in the blast at a police station in Nowgam, Jammu and Kashmir. My deepest condolences to the families of those who have lost their loved ones. The injured should be promptly treated under medical supervision and adequate compensation should be provided to the victims.”
Senior Congress leader and former Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot also expressed his heartfelt condolences to the families who lost their loved ones in the Naugam police station blast.
Jammu and Kashmir Director General of Police (DGP) Nalin Prabhat on Saturday stressed that it was unnecessary to make any speculations about the incident as preliminary findings point to an unintentional blast during the mandatory forensic process.
Hours after the massive late-night blast at Srinagar’s Nowgam police station, the Home Ministry on Saturday termed the tragedy as an “unfortunate accident”.
In an official statement, Jammu and Kashmir division (MHA) joint secretary Prashant Lokhande said the blast occurred inside the police station at 11:20 pm on November 14.