Low‑intensity blast in J&K’s Doda; no injuries reported, 2 persons detained

A teacher and another individual were detained in Doda on Thursday after a low-intensity explosion occurred at his house, triggering fresh panic in a district already on edge from political unrest.

Police and forensic experts are investigating the blast, which is believed to have been caused by a German World War II-era “stick grenade” that Hussain claims to have found in his trash.

The explosion, which resulted in no injuries, was reported at approximately 10.30 am in the Dumri-Thukar Mohalla area near the Jamia Masjid.

The police found splinter marks at the entrance of Javed Hussain’s house and immediately cordoned off the scene. He is also a shop owner. Hussain and another individual, Khurshid, who were both present at the time, were taken into custody for questioning.

During preliminary interrogation, Hussain confessed that an object had exploded at his house and told investigators that he had found the grenade while clearing trash and, believing it to be a harmless object, attempted to use it as a pestle for grinding spices.

He claimed that smoke emerged when he pulled a string on the device and he threw it outside just before it detonated.

According to the police, Hussain’s late father, Abdul Ahad Itoo, was a known ‘Over Ground Worker’ (OGW), who regularly hosted terrorists at his home. The same house was the site of a 1996 encounter where two terrorists were killed.

The blast took place against a backdrop of intense tension and widespread security crackdown in Doda after sitting MLA Mehraj Malik was detained under the stringent Public Safety Act by the district administration.

The district remains under a communications blackout, with mobile internet and WiFi services suspended. Protests have been ongoing since Malik’s arrest, leading to clashes and the detention of more than 80 people.