Srinagar: In the quiet Nowgam neighbourhood, grief echoed through the narrow lanes on Saturday morning as cries of “khodayo, khodayo” filled the air. Inside a modest two-storey home, Rafiqa Bano struggled to come to terms with the sudden death of her husband, Mohammad Shafi Parray, the only civilian killed in the devastating blast at the Nowgam Police Station on Friday night.
Parray, a humble tailor and father of three, had been called to the police station to stitch material linked to the ongoing investigation into the Faridabad terror module case, according to his family and local residents. Whether he was promised payment, or under what terms he worked, remains unclear.
“He was just a simple needleworker… he didn’t earn what policemen earn,” Bano said, surrounded by mourning relatives.
Night of fear and frantic search
The powerful explosion rattled parts of Srinagar and neighbouring Pulwama, claiming the lives of nine people — including an inspector of the State Investigation Agency (SIA), three forensic experts, two revenue officials, and two police photographers.
Multiple minor blasts following the main explosion slowed down rescue operations, leaving Parray’s family searching through the night for any information. They received confirmation of his death early Saturday, but the medico-legal process delayed the return of his body.
Just 100 metres from the blast site, mourners gathered at Parray’s home. His distraught wife, at one point, marched towards the police station with other women, pleading, “I don’t want anything… just give us his body.”
“Why did they take him?”
Grief soon turned into painful questions. Speaking to journalists, Bano asked why her civilian husband had been taken to handle such sensitive material.
“Why couldn’t they bring their own tailor? Was he their servant?” she asked, visibly shattered.
Final rites and community grief
A wreath-laying ceremony for all nine deceased was held at the police headquarters before their bodies were handed over to their families. Parray’s funeral drew thousands of mourners to his ancestral graveyard.
“He was honest and compassionate. He even managed donations for our local mosque,” said neighbour Bashir Ahmad, urging the government to compensate the family adequately.
Parray leaves behind his wife, three children, and four sisters.
Blast impact rattles neighbourhood
The explosion shook Nowgam, shattering windows, igniting a blaze, and keeping residents awake throughout the night.
Bashir Ahmad, a security guard at a nearby building, recalled, “I thought it was hailstorm… the glass exploded everywhere.” He suffered facial injuries from flying shards.
The damaged building houses the office of the Falah-e-Aam Trust (FAT), an organisation linked to Jamaat-e-Islami, which was banned in 2019.
Probe and official statement
Investigators were preparing exhibits of explosives recovered earlier in the Faridabad hideout when the explosion occurred around 11:20 pm.
J&K DGP Nalin Prabhat described the blast as an “accident” during the handling of recovered explosives. The probe also links the incident to the November 10 Delhi blast, for which several detentions have been made in recent days.