9 killed, 32 injured in Nowgam police station blast; cause being investigated: MHA
New Delhi (PTI): The Union Ministry of Home Affairs on Saturday said that nine people have been killed and 32 others were injured in a "massive" unfortunate accidental explosion at the Nowgam police station in Jammu and Kashmir.
In a press briefing, Prashant Lokhande, Joint Secretary in the Ministry of Home Affairs, said the cause of the incident is being investigated and any other speculation into the cause of the blast was unnecessary.
He said a huge cache of explosive substances and chemicals was recovered during probe into a terror module and kept securely in an open area in the premises of Nowgam police station, located on the outskirts of Srinagar.
As a part of the standard and prescribed procedure, the recovered explosives were forwarded to forensic and chemical examination, Lokhande said.
Because of the voluminous nature of the recovery, the procedure was being continuously carried out for the last two days, he said.
Owing to the "unstable and sensitive" nature of the recovery, it was being handled very carefully under expert supervision, the joint secretary said.
"However, during the process, an accidental explosion took place at about 11.20 pm on the night of November 14. In this unfortunate accidental incident, nine people have lost their lives where as 27 police personnel, two revenue officials and three civilians have received injuries," Lokhande said.
The police station has suffered severe damage, while some other buildings were also affected, he said.
"The cause of the accident is being investigated. However, any other speculation into the cause of this incident is unnecessary," the joint secretary said.
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Delhi Police busts LPG black marketing racket in Bawana, 75 cylinders seized; 1 held
New Delhi (PTI): Delhi Police has busted an LPG cylinder hoarding and black marketing racket in the Bawana area, an officer said on Friday.
A 50-year-old man, identified as Anil, has been arrested and 75 cylinders seized, he said.
The accused was apprehended following a tip-off about the illegal storage and transportation of LPG cylinders in the industrial area.
Acting on the input, a police team laid a picket near District Park in Bawana on Thursday evening. Around 4 pm, a pickup truck was intercepted and checked, leading to the recovery of 27 LPG cylinders, including both domestic and commercial units.
"When questioned, the accused failed to produce any valid documents, including a licence, permit, stock register or proof of ownership for the cylinders," the officer said.
During interrogation, Anil revealed that more cylinders were stored at nearby premises. Based on his disclosure, police raided two rooms and an iron shed near a factory in the area.
"A total of 48 additional cylinders were recovered, taking the overall seizure to 75. The cylinders were stored without safety measures or legal authorisation, posing a serious risk," the officer said.
Disruptions in maritime supply routes through the Strait of Hormuz amid the ongoing US-Israel and Iran conflict have caused an LPG crisis in India.
