J&K Police Station Blast Linked to Jaish Proxy PAFF: What We Know So Far

A powerful explosion tore through a police station in Jammu and Kashmir, killing nine people—both police personnel and civilians—and injuring at least 30 others. While the J&K Police initially attributed the blast to an accidental detonation of seized explosives, the situation took a dramatic turn when a Jaish-e-Mohammed proxy claimed responsibility.

The blast destroyed a large section of the station premises and ignited several vehicles parked inside. With many believed to be trapped under the debris, officials fear that the death toll could rise further. Investigators reported that the explosion was so forceful that body parts were found nearly 300 feet from the impact site.

Addressing the media, the J&K Police chief said the incident occurred as officers were securing around 350 kg of ammonium nitrate that had recently been recovered during a major raid in Faridabad, Haryana. The material was being documented and sealed in the presence of a magistrate when the explosion occurred.

However, investigators are also pursuing an alternate angle. They suspect the possibility of an IED planted inside a vehicle that had been earlier seized in connection with criminal activity and was parked inside the compound. Officials believe that a secondary blast could have amplified the overall destruction, prompting a deeper probe into whether the incident was a deliberate attack.

PAFF – A JAISH-E-MOHAMMED PROXY: WHO ARE THEY?

The People’s Anti-Fascist Front (PAFF), a known proxy of Pakistan-based Jaish-e-Mohammed, has claimed responsibility for the explosion. The group was designated a terrorist organization by India’s Union Home Ministry in 2023 and has remained active in Jammu and Kashmir, especially after the abrogation of Article 370 in 2019.

PAFF has repeatedly issued threats to political leaders, targeted security forces, and used social media platforms to radicalize and recruit youths for violent activities. According to the Home Ministry, the group has been involved in training recruits to handle firearms, explosives, and other weaponry for carrying out terror attacks across J&K and in major Indian cities.

In recent years, PAFF has executed several high-impact attacks. One of the deadliest took place in 2021 in the Mendhar region of Poonch district, where nine soldiers were martyred. That same year, PAFF militants assassinated BJP leader Rakesh Pandita.

In 2023, PAFF terrorists ambushed an Army truck in Poonch, killing five Rashtriya Rifles personnel. Just a month later, an IED attack in the Kesari Hills Forest claimed the lives of five more soldiers, further cementing the group’s role as a major terror threat in the region.

As investigations continue, security forces are working to determine whether the Nowgam blast was indeed a tragic accident—or a deadly strike orchestrated by PAFF. The final conclusion will depend on forensic analysis, intelligence inputs, and the assessment of both blast sites within the compound.