India probes sabotage behind huge arms depot fire

NEW DELHI: A huge fire destroyed about 200 tonnes of arms and ammunition in one of India's biggest army depots early on Friday, triggering an investigation into possible sabotage, defence officials said.

The fire broke out at the army's Panagarh depot in the eastern state of West Bengal and officials said they were surprised how such a blaze could have broken out in a high security zone.

"We are exploring all possible angles," an Army official said. The store has been completely gutted, Mahesh Upasani, a defence spokesman said.

India remains jittery about the threat of militant attacks. A blast in the western city of Pune killed 17 people last month, the first major militant strike since the 2008 Mumbai attacks.