‘We thought it was doomsday’: Survivors recall horror of Nowgam Police Station blast
Srinagar, Nov 15: The explosion at Nowgam Police Station around midnight on November 14 ripped through the quiet area, leaving residents stunned and terrified. Many had already retired for the night when the blast jolted them awake, plunging the locality into chaos and disbelief.
Eyewitnesses described scenes of panic and devastation that they had never experienced before. The explosion’s impact shattered windowpanes across several houses, sending people rushing out in confusion.
Mohammad Rajab (name changed), an elderly resident, said he woke up to the sound of shattering glass and a powerful jolt. “I thought my house had collapsed,” he said. “Women were screaming, children were crying. When I stepped outside, the neighbourhood looked like an apocalypse.”
Sameer Ahmed (name changed) recalled the terror inside his home as the blast tore through the night. “We didn’t move for ten minutes. We thought a house had been blown up and firing would start,” he said. “Only when there were no more blasts did we dare to step out. Outside, no one knew what had happened. Some thought something had fallen from the sky, others spoke of a cylinder blast.”
A woman, who had gone to check her gate before sleeping, said she saw the explosion unfold before her eyes. “There was suddenly a fireball. I thought it was Doomsday,” she said, trembling. Her family members returned hours later from the site, unable to sleep after witnessing the injuries and bodies.
Fire tenders, ambulances and blaring sirens kept the area on edge throughout the night.
The next morning, debris—shattered tin sheets, broken bricks, splintered glass—remained strewn across roads and lanes. By afternoon, volunteers stepped in to clear the rubble.
“Youth from the area went door to door to check if anyone needed help,” said Asif Aamir, one of the volunteers. “Some people had minor injuries from flying glass. We gave them first aid.”
The residents of Nowgam say the night of the blast will remain etched in their memory for years.
