At least 9 killed and 32 injured in explosion at Kashmir police station

SRINAGAR, India -- A cache of confiscated explosives detonated wrong a constabulary presumption successful Indian-controlled Kashmir, sidesplitting astatine slightest 9 radical and injuring 32 others, constabulary said connected Saturday.

The blast occurred successful the Nowgam country of Srinagar, the region’s main city, precocious Friday erstwhile a squad of forensic experts and constabulary were examining the explosive material, said Nalin Prabhat, the region’s constabulary director-general. He ruled retired immoderate foul play, saying it was an accident.

Most of the dormant were constabulary and forensic officials. Some of the injured were successful captious condition, constabulary said.

The immense blast ripped done the constabulary station, mounting it and aggregate vehicles connected fire. According to the quality bureau Press Trust of India, tiny successive explosions prevented contiguous rescue operations.

The constabulary presumption blast came days aft Monday’s deadly car explosion successful New Delhi, which killed astatine slightest 8 radical adjacent the city’s historical Red Fort. Indian officials called it a “heinous panic incident” carried retired by “anti-national forces.” The car blast happened hours aft constabulary successful Kashmir said they had dismantled a suspected militant cell operating from the disputed region, arresting astatine slightest 7 people, including 2 doctors from Indian cities, and seizing a ample quantity of bomb-making worldly successful the metropolis of Faridabad, adjacent New Delhi.

Indian information agencies person since carried retired a bid of raids successful Kashmir arsenic portion of their probe into the car blast, questioning hundreds portion detaining scores others.

Indian constabulary said Saturday they utilized DNA to place the car's operator and that helium was a Kashmiri doctor. Government forces blew up his household location successful the confederate territory of Pulwama connected Thursday night, officials said.

In the past, troops person demolished homes of suspects they impeach of being tied to militants warring against Indian regularisation successful Kashmir arsenic a punishment.

Police had brought the explosive worldly seized successful Faridabad to Kashmir arsenic portion of their probe and were “kept securely successful an unfastened area” astatine the constabulary station, wherever the probe that led to the suspected militant compartment began past month, according to Prabhat, the apical officer.

Prabhat said a squad of experts was taking samples for forensic probe erstwhile the blast occurred, calling it an “accidental explosion.”

“Any different speculation into the origin of this incidental is unnecessary,” helium said.

India and Pakistan each administer a portion of Kashmir, but some assertion the territory successful its entirety.

Militants successful the Indian-controlled information of Kashmir person been warring New Delhi’s regularisation since 1989. India insists the Kashmir militancy is Pakistan-sponsored terrorism. Pakistan denies the charge, and galore Kashmiris see it a morganatic state struggle.