Srinagar: The major explosion that rocked Nowgam on the outskirts of Srinagar late Friday night obliterated the police station which first initiated the probe that resulted in the busting of the 'white-collar' terror module.

The blast occurred as authorities were handling explosive material seized in connection with the ongoing probe into a high-profile "white-collar" terror module.

Officials confirmed that the explosion took place while security personnel were attempting to extract samples from a large cache of explosives recovered from Faridabad, Haryana. And J&K DGP Nalin Prabhat confirmed that the blast was accidental. He emphasised that preliminary investigations show no evidence of foul play and urged the public not to speculate about the incident.

At least 24 police personnel and three civilians were admitted to various hospitals in the city. Tragically, officials later confirmed that the bodies of two individuals were taken to the Police Control Room in Srinagar, though the exact circumstances surrounding these casualties remain unclear.

Explosion linked to terror probe

The devastating blast effectively obliterated the police station that had initially launched the investigation into the terror network. The seized material, which included 360 kilograms of ammonium nitrate, was found in the rented house of an arrested doctor, Muzammil Ganaie.

The explosives are directly linked to an ongoing investigation that began on October 19. On that date, the Nowgam Station House Officer (SHO) uncovered posters of the terror outfit Jaish-e-Mohammed hinting at a major attack in Kashmir. The probe quickly led authorities to a network of radicalized, highly educated individuals.

The Nowgam police station investigation team first identified and arrested Dr. Adeel Ahmad Rather on October 27, after reviewing CCTV footage from the locations where the posters were displayed. An assault rifle was subsequently recovered from his locker at the Government Medical College in Anantnag.

Scale of the terror network

Dr Rather's questioning led police to Dr Muzammil Shakeel, a faculty member at Al-Falah Medical College in Faridabad. A raid on premises linked to Shakeel exposed the staggering scale of the operation, leading to the recovery of nearly 3,000 kg of ammonium nitrate. Shakeel's arrest subsequently led to the detention of another doctor, Shaheen Saeed.

The terror network came under intense national focus earlier this week following a car explosion near Delhi's Red Fort that killed 13 people. Investigators later identified another doctor, Umar Nabi, as the person believed to be driving the vehicle in which the blast occurred.

The National Investigation Agency (NIA) has since joined the probe, identifying at least four doctors linked to the module who were working at Al-Falah Medical College. Three doctors -- Dr Mushtakeem, Dr Mohammad, and Dr Rehaan Hayat -- were detained on Friday and are believed to have been in frequent contact with Nabi.

The investigation is also focused on Nowgam, the area where paramedic-turned-cleric Irfan Wagay reportedly stayed and indoctrinated several doctors who are now part of the terror network.