Questions after Nowgam blast

The explosion outside the Nowgam police station in Srinagar on Friday-which killed nine persons and injured 32-ranks among the worst tragedies the area has witnessed in recent memory. Such an incident, occurring within police premises, naturally shakes public confidence.

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When Director-General of J&K Police Nalin Prabhat rules out sabotage and attributes the blast to an accident, his assessment deserves respect. Yet an official statement, however credible, cannot replace the need for a thorough, independent inquiry. What has emerged so far raises more questions than it answers. Reports suggest that a large quantity-nearly 2,900 kg-of ammonium nitrate, seized from a village near Faridabad in the NCR, was transported almost 900 kilometres to Srinagar in a Tata pickup truck. While police may describe this movement as standard protocol, the adequacy of that protocol must be reexamined.