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Srinagar: A devastating explosion occurred at the Nowgam police station, resulting in the deaths of eight individuals and injuring 27 others. The incident took place while officials were extracting samples from a significant stockpile of explosives linked to a 'white-collar' terror module investigation, as reported by authorities on Saturday.

The explosion transpired late Friday night, with the majority of the casualties being police officers and forensic personnel.

Rescue teams have recovered eight bodies from the explosion site, and the injured have been transported to various hospitals across Srinagar. Efforts are ongoing to identify the deceased.

The blast was triggered while personnel were handling explosive materials that had been transported from Faridabad, Haryana.

This material was part of a total of 360 kilograms of explosives seized from the residence of the detained doctor, Muzammil Ganaie, and was being sampled as part of the ongoing investigation.

The bodies have been moved to the Police Control Room in Srinagar.

At least 24 police officers and three civilians were admitted to different hospitals in the city following the explosion.

The powerful blast shattered the nighttime calm and caused significant damage to the police station structure. Subsequent smaller explosions hindered immediate rescue efforts by the bomb disposal unit.

While some of the explosives have been secured at the Forensic Lab, the majority of the 360 kg of explosives were stored at the police station, where the initial case against the terror module was filed.

The conspiracy began to unfold after threatening posters targeting police and security forces appeared on walls in Bunpora, Nowgam, in mid-October.

Recognizing the seriousness of the threat, Srinagar police registered a case on October 19 and established a specialized team.

A detailed analysis of CCTV footage allowed investigators to identify the first three suspects: Arif Nisar Dar alias Sahil, Yasir-ul-Ashraf, and Maqsood Ahmad Dar alias Shahid. These individuals had prior cases of stone pelting against them and were seen putting up the posters.

Their questioning led to the capture of Maulvi Irfan Ahmad, a former paramedic turned Imam from Shopian, who is believed to have provided the posters and radicalized doctors due to his connections within the medical community.

The investigation eventually led the Srinagar police to Al Falah University in Faridabad, where they apprehended Dr. Muzammil Ahmad Ganaie and Dr. Shaheen Sayeed. A large cache of chemicals, including ammonium nitrate, potassium nitrate, and sulfur, was confiscated at this location.

Authorities suspect that the terror module was orchestrated by a core group of doctors: Muzammil Ganaie (currently detained), Umar Nabi (the driver of the vehicle loaded with explosives that detonated near the Red Fort on November 10), and Muzzaffar Rather (who is currently on the run). The involvement of Dr. Adeel Rather, the brother of the fugitive Muzzaffar Rather, from whom an AK-56 rifle was seized, remains under investigation.