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.

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........

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