Blast close to International Border causes alarm in Jammu

A mysterious blast outside a residence close to the International Border (IB) on Monday (March 23, 2026) raised the alarm among security agencies in Jammu’s Samba.

The blast took place outside the residence of former sarpanch Jai Ram Sharma in Samba’s Ghagwal Sector around 2 a.m., officials said. The village of Samba is about 10 km from the International Border.

A senior police officer visited the blast spot, and a team of forensic experts took samples “to ascertain the cause of the explosion”, officials said.

Hotel owner booked

Meanwhile, the police lodged a First Information Report (FIR) against a hotel owner for concealing the stay of 23 foreign nationals, including 19 British nationals, in south Kashmir’s Pahalgam.  

“The hotel management wilfully concealed their stay from the Pahalgam police station, and failed to submit the mandatory Form C, thereby violating provisions of the Immigration and Foreigners Act, 2025, and compromising prescribed security protocols,” the police said.

The J&K Police urged all hotel operators to strictly comply with legal requirements in reporting guests who are foreign nationals.