Srinagar: The Jammu and Kashmir government on Saturday announced an ex gratia of Rs 10 lakh for the families of each of the victims killed in the accidental blast at the Nowgam police station. The compensation will be provided from the Chief Minister’s Relief Fund.
Chief Minister Omar Abdullah said on X that those who sustained severe injuries will receive Rs 1 lakh each. “As a mark of solidarity and immediate relief, the government has approved Rs 10 lakh for each deceased and Rs 1 lakh for those severely injured,” he posted.
Acting on the chief minister’s directions, Jammu and Kashmir Health Minister Sakina Itoo visited the bereaved families to offer condolences. She later met the injured at the hospital and assured them that the government stands with the affected families during this difficult time.
Senior officials said an “accidental” explosion tore through the Nowgam police station in Srinagar late Friday night, killing nine persons and injuring 32. They emphasised that the incident was not a terror attack.
The blast occurred around 11:20 pm when a specialised team was handling samples from a large and “unstable” cache of explosives seized during an ongoing investigation into a ‘white-collar’ terror module. Most of the explosives had been securely stored in an open area of the police station.
