Srinagar, Nov. 16 -- As the bodies of the nine policemen, civilians and a revenue official killed in the Nowgam police station blast were carried back to their homes on Saturday, a pall of gloom descended on various localities across Kashmir.

Among the nine dead were six policemen - State Investigation Agency (SIA) inspector Israr Ul Haq of Kupwara, selection grade constables Javaid Mansoor Rather and Arshid Ahmad Shah (both crime branch photographers), selection grade constable Aijaz Afzal Mir, and constables Mohammad Amin Mir and Showkat Ahmad Bhat (all three working with the Forensic Science Laboratory).

Naib tehsildar Muzaffar Ahmad Khan, chowkidar of the area Suhail Ahmad Rather and Mohammad Shafi Parray, a tailor, were the other t...