Powerful Explosion Rocks Tatta Pani Bazaar in Kotli, Azad Kashmir

A deadly explosion in Kotli, Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK), on Sunday has claimed the lives of at least three people, including children, and left six others injured. The blast occurred inside a scrap warehouse on the Tatta Pani bypass road, according to police sources.

Emergency services and security forces quickly arrived at the scene and transported the victims, including the deceased and injured, to a nearby hospital. The injured are reported to be in critical condition, and an emergency has been declared at the hospital. Authorities have expressed concerns that the death toll could rise as some victims remain in critical care.

In the aftermath of the explosion, police launched an investigation to determine the cause. Preliminary findings suggest that the explosion was triggered by an explosive device hidden within the scrap material. “Waste pickers collect scrap from the surrounding hilly areas and sell it to the warehouse,” police said, adding that an explosive item within the scrap may have caused the deadly blast.

The victims were from various regions, and local residents have begun making arrangements to send the bodies of the deceased back to their hometowns for burial.

This incident follows a deadly suicide bombing near the Judicial Complex earlier in the week, which killed at least 12 people and injured several others. Authorities have since identified the suicide bomber as an Afghan national. Security forces also apprehended a suspect from Bajaur district in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa linked to the attack. Police are continuing their investigations and have detained five additional suspects in Rawalpindi and Islamabad, as part of the ongoing probe into the suicide bombing.

Authorities are closely monitoring the situation and providing support to those affected by both tragedies.