Former Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister and JKNC President Farooq Abdullah has strongly criticised the way authorities managed the explosive that caused the Nowgam police station blast, calling the handling “our mistake”. His remarks come amid rising concerns over procedural lapses and public anxiety following the fatal explosion, which claimed 9 lives and caused severe damage to residential structures surrounding the incident site.
Abdullah said, “This is our mistake, those who understand this explosive better, we should have talked to them first about how to deal with it instead of trying to handle it ourselves.” He emphasised that established protocols and specialist intervention were essential whenever high-risk explosives were involved. According to him, bypassing trained experts resulted in the devastating consequences witnessed at Nowgam.
#WATCH | Srinagar | On the Nowgam police station blast incident, JKNC Chief Farooq Abdullah says, “This is our mistake, those who understand this explosive better, we should have talked to them first about how to deal with it instead of trying to handle it ourselves, you saw the… pic.twitter.com/SNXFVf5TBK
— ANI (@ANI) November 15, 2025
Abdullah also broadened his remarks to reflect on the wider climate of suspicion and stereotyping faced by Kashmiris, particularly after the recent crisis in Delhi. “We haven’t yet come out of the crisis in Delhi where fingers are being pointed at every Kashmiri,” he observed, noting that residents continue to endure unjust scrutiny despite having no connection to such incidents. He questioned when the rest of the country would finally acknowledge Kashmiris as equal citizens. “When will that day come when they will accept that we are Indians and we are not responsible for this?” he asked.
Urging authorities to seek answers from those actually involved, he added, “Ask those who are responsible why these doctors had to take this path? What was the reason?” Abdullah concluded by calling for “a thorough investigation and study of this”, insisting that only a detailed, transparent inquiry can establish accountability and restore public trust.
