NIA, NSG Teams Visit Nowgam Police Station Blast Site

The blast, which killed nine people and injured 32 others, occurred when a stockpile of seized explosives from a terror module detonated inside the station.

The NIA serves as India's central counter-terrorism law enforcement agency, tasked with investigating and prosecuting offences related to terrorism and threats to national sovereignty, security, and integrity. The NBDC collects, analyses, and evaluates data on terrorist bombing incidents in India and abroad.

Officials stated that the teams inspected the blast site to determine the cause of the accident. “They collected samples and interacted with officials present at the site for further investigation,” one official said.

The explosion devastated the police station compound in a fireball of flames and debris. In response, Union Home Minister Amit Shah held urgent talks with senior Jammu and Kashmir police officials, directing the immediate deployment of NIA, NSG, and advanced forensic teams. These experts are conducting residue analysis, DNA matching, and structural assessments to rule out procedural lapses and support the ongoing crackdown on the terror module.

Nowgam Police Station had been central to dismantling the module, described by authorities as a sophisticated “white-collar” network blending professional respectability with radicalism. The investigation began after Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) posters appeared in the area, threatening attacks on security forces and “outsiders” in Kashmir. CCTV footage from October 27 led to the arrest of Dr. Adeel Ahmad Rather, a former Government Medical College Anantnag employee now in Saharanpur, Uttar Pradesh. An assault rifle was recovered from his locker.

Interrogation revealed links to Dr. Muzammil Shakeel (also known as Muzammil Ganaie) at Al-Falah Medical College, Faridabad who was arrested on Monday, followed by Dr. Shaheen Saeed, a Lucknow resident from the same college.

That same evening, a car bomb exploded near Delhi's Red Fort, killing 13 and injuring over 20. The NIA, leading the probe, identified Dr. Muhammad Umar Nabi as the driver of the Hyundai i20 used in the attack, with DNA from the site matching samples from his mother in Kashmir Valley’s southern Pulwama district. In retaliation, security forces demolished Nabi's family house in a controlled operation in Pulwama's Koil area on the night of Thursday-Friday.

The conspiracy links JeM with al-Qaeda-affiliated Ansar Ghazwat-ul-Hind (AGuH), using doctors, academics, and imams—such as arrested mosque imam Moulvi Irfan Ahmed—to launder funds and procure arms under legitimate cover, officials said.

J&K Director General of Police Nalin Prabhat on Saturday ruled out any terror link to the Nowgam blast, calling further speculation unnecessary. Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha ordered a probe and expressed solidarity with the affected.

Sinha, while addressing an event on Sunday, hailed the busting of the pan-India module linked to the Red Fort blast as a “major breakthrough” that averted attacks nationwide through timely intelligence and J&K Police action. He expressed grief over the “unfortunate” Nowgam incident “resulting in the loss of brave personnel”. He said, “I extend heartfelt solidarity to the bereaved families.” The Lt. Governor praised the police for saving lives and noted a detailed inquiry into Nowgam, with support for the injured and martyrs' families. Late Saturday, he chaired a high-level security review meeting with police and civil officials at Raj Bhawan following the blast.

On Sunday, Counter Intelligence Kashmir (CIK) searched a doctor's residence in Anantnag's Malakhnag area overnight. Sleuths found a female doctor from Haryana living there as a tenant and seized a mobile phone for forensic analysis.

In an escalation, J&K Police's CIK raided 16 locations across the Kashmir Valley on Thursday, targeting suspected JeM operatives and overground workers (OGWs). Backed by local police and CID intelligence, the operations aim to sever cross-border ties. “With the probe now under CID, we raided 16 sites today. Further actions will deepen into this white-collar ecosystem to fully expose the conspiracy,” a senior officer said, noting the Srinagar-based JeM cell's role in the Delhi attack.

Meanwhile, Bilal Ahmad Wani, a dry fruit seller, whose son Jasir Bilal and brother Naveem Wani were detained for questioning in the module case, attempted self-immolation in Qazigund. Wani was rushed to GMC Anantnag with burns. However, doctors said his condition is stable. Wani is a neighbour of a key accused Dr. Muzaffar Rather, believed to be in Afghanistan. Muzaffar's brother, Dr. Adeel Rather, was arrested in Saharanpur on November 6.

Former Chief Minister and opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) president, Mehbooba Mufti, in a post on ‘X’ said, “Bilal Wani an anguished father from Wanpora Qazigund has set himself on fire after his son Jasir Bilal & brother Naveel Wani were detained by the police a few days ago. Petrified about their safety he pleaded with the authorities to just see them which was denied. He has been referred to SMHS Srinagar & is in critical condition. This level of high handedness only deepens wounds and breeds despair. When young men are picked up randomly we risk driving an entire generation into fear, frustration & ultimately towards darker paths. Request J&K police to at least allow him to meet the detained members.”

J&K Police have approached Interpol to issue a Red Corner Notice against Dr. Muzaffar. The police sources said that his name emerged during interrogations of the arrested suspects, who revealed he was part of a doctors' team that traveled to Türkiye in 2021 alongside Dr. Muzammil Ganaie and Dr. Umar Nabi. The sources said that the police attempted to locate Dr. Muzaffar immediately but discovered he had departed India for Dubai in August and is currently believed to be in Afghanistan. The sources added that the three doctors spent 21 days in Türkiye.

In response to related media reports, Türkiye’s Directorate of Communications Centre for Countering Disinformation issued a statement on Wednesday denying any involvement. “Claims that Türkiye is linked to terrorist acts in India or provides logistical, diplomatic, and financial support to terrorist groups are part of a malicious disinformation campaign aimed at damaging bilateral relations,” it said. The statement added that allegations of Türkiye engaging in "radicalisation activities" targeting India or any other country are “purely disinformative and lack any factual basis.”

In related efforts, J&K Police conducted surprise inspections of fertilizer and chemical shops across the Valley over the past few days to prevent misuse of agricultural materials. Teams verified stock records, licenses, storage, and sales under senior supervision, sensitising shopkeepers on documentation, guidelines, and reporting suspicious purchases. Restricted chemicals must be sold per norms, a police spokesman said.