India: 9 dead in 'accidental' explosion of seized explosives at a police station

At least nine people were killed and 31 others injured on Friday evening at a police station in the northern Indian region of Kashmir when explosives, which had been seized earlier in a raid, detonated accidentally, a police official reported.

The raid was conducted on Monday in the suburbs of New Delhi, just hours before an explosion labeled a "terrorist incident" by the government claimed 12 lives and injured around thirty in the Indian capital.

Samples of the explosives confiscated during the police raid in Faridabad, Haryana, were sent for scientific analysis at a police station in Nowgam, Kashmir, as noted by regional police director Nalin Prabhat during a press briefing on Saturday.

"Unfortunately, during this analysis (on Friday) around 11:20 PM local time (5:50 PM GMT), an accidental explosion occurred," described the official. "Any further speculation regarding the cause of this accident is unnecessary," he added hastily.

Among the victims of the blast, which severely damaged the building, were police officers, forensic technicians, and other public officials, Mr. Prabhat reported.

No official link has been established between the arrests and the raid conducted on Monday and the deadly car explosion near the Red Fort, one of the most visited monuments in New Delhi.

This event, described as a "conspiracy" by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, marks the most serious security breach since the attack that killed 26 Hindu civilians in Pahalgam, northwestern Kashmir, in April.

India responded to this attack with reprisals against Pakistan, which was accused of orchestrating it, leading to military clashes, the most serious since 1999.