India, Dec. 1 -- The first week of covering the Delhi blast case unfolded less like a routine follow-up and more like a hunt for a single unanswered question that overshadowed the entire investigation. The biggest gap that shaped every task on the ground remained simple yet crucial: where did Dr Umar un Nabi stay in Nuh for ten days? The house he chose, what he did there, and where he went during that period formed the missing link officials were not clarifying, a lapse that could have linked entire chain of events. The search for this answer began in Faridabad and Nuh, where officials offered little beyond, "No comment." Their silence, half-lines and vague trails only widened existing gaps in the narrative. The lack of clarity pushed the reporting effort into prolonged fieldwork. By the time most newsrooms were planning their route, I was already navigating the narrow lanes of Hidayat Colony in Nuh before sunrise, checking houses, speaking to residents and piecing together details. That morning, in a cramped courtyard, I finally found the house. The family spoke before any cameras reached the spot. A 13-year-old girl stood silently as her home suddenly became part of a national investigation. The officials had not confirmed these details until that point. This gap between ground realities and official communication meant the story depended entirely on persistent field verification. Pressure mounted throughout the week as senior editors repeatedly asked, "Anything new?", "Where are you now?", "Did they confirm?", "Send pictures", and "Any quotes?" With every newsroom chasing the same story, the lack of official clarity forced a reliance on slow, labour-intensive methods. Trust with officers was built by waiting outside offices for hours or returning the next morning. Only then did someone share a line that broke a dead end. Key details that came through this effort filled gaps the investigation had not disclosed. I was the first to learn where Umar ate during those ten days, after hours of speaking to roadside vendors who recognised his photograph. Another missing detail surfaced during a long conversation with a security guard, who recalled that Umar had visited an ATM kiosk to withdraw money. Officials had not revealed this movement earlier. Checking CCTV clips frame by frame with shop owners, revisiting lanes at different hours, and gathering disjointed recollections from tea stalls helped assemble a timeline no agency had publicly outlined. What did neighbours see, what time did he step out, and who visited him? These questions remained unanswered by authorities. The physical and mental toll of the week was significant. Driving between Faridabad and Nuh meant dusty highways, missed meals and long hours spent chasing information the system had not supplied. Yet the breakthroughs mattered. Identifying the correct house, earning trust from a nervous family and linking details even officials had overlooked gave clarity to a story full of gaps. Beyond the byline, what stays with me are the unanswered questions and silence from the system that left reporters to bridge missing links on their own....