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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Woman Police Commissioner goes undercover to assess women's safety in Hyderabad
Hyderabad (PTI): Soon after taking over as Malkajgiri Police Commissioner B Sumathi went undercover and took up a field visit after midnight on May 1 to assess law and order, including women's safety.
Sumathi assumed charge as the Malkajgiri Police Commissioner on May 1.
On the same night, the senior IPS officer, in plainclothes, moved through the streets of Dilsukhnagar here, standing alone for some time to get a first-hand knowledge of law and order situation, official sources said on Wednesday.
"It was a general checking and she later interacted with police officials," they said.
The sources said about 30-40 individuals who approached her were counselled regarding their behaviour towards women in public places.
Sumathi, who earlier headed the Special Intelligence Branch (SIB), of the Telangana Police, oversaw the long drawn process of the Maoists joining the mainstream.
