Sajid Raina
Bandipora, Oct 15: The security forces on Saturday defused an Improvised Explosive Device (IED) weighing 16 kgs, which was detected on Bandipora-Sopore road, thereby averting a major tragedy on the busy highway stretch, officials said.
An official said that security forces including Army’s 26-Aasam rifles and J&K police detected an IED kept in two small gas cylinder in Ashtangoo area on Bandipora-Sopore road early Saturday morning following which Bomb disposal squad was called in.
He further said that the IED weighing nearly 16 kg was successfully defused without causing any damage while the traffic has been restored on the road.
Defence spokesman in a statement said that based on intelligence received from Police and further corroborated by the Army regarding presence of an Improvised Explosive Device (IED) in General Area Astingoo on Bandipora-Sopore road, a Joint Operation was launched by Army and Police on the intervening night of October 14 and October 15.
“Search parties were immediately deployed and an area of 300 meters radius was cordoned by security forces. During the search, presence of an IED was positively confirmed at about 08.35 AM on October 15, by the search party. The IED was in close proximity of Bandipora-Sopore road,” the spokesman said, adding that the Army’s Bomb Disposal Squad was rushed in to the location to neutralise the IED. “The bomb disposal squad destroyed the IED in situ without any collateral damage,” he said, adding that Bandipora-Sopore highway is an important line of communication for civil traffic as well as for the Army and CAPF convoys.
“Security forces with their swift operation have averted a major terror plot by timely neutralisation of the IED. The traffic which was halted on the highway for initial hours, which has now been resumed,” he said.
