A major tragedy was averted with the timely detection of an Improvised Explosive Device (IED) planted by the terrorists on the highly sensitive Jammu-Srinagar National Highway near Nagrotra in Jammu district.
Reports said that IED was planted near Panjgrain Nagrota on the Jammu-Srinagar National Highway which was later defused by the Bomb Disposal Squad through the controlled mechanism.
Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Jammu, Chandan Kohli said that a suspicious object was spotted alongside the highway at Nagrota in Jammu.
The Bomb Disposal Squad was called for the technical examination of the suspicious object found near the highway.
"The suspicious object found at Panjgrain Nagrota Jammu was an Improvised Explosive Device (IED). It has been destroyed by the Technical Team / Bomb Disposal Squad (BDS) through a controlled mechanism", the SSP said and added that a case under relevant sections of law has been registered and an investigation has been taken up.
IED was planted to target security forces
Initial investigation revealed that the explosive was planted to target conveys of security forces as a huge force has been deployed on the highway in view of the ongoing Amarnath Yatra.
The Yatra has been suspended till Wednesday due to the repairing of the track, the target of the terrorists could be security or passenger vehicles. A major tragedy has been averted with the timely detection of the explosive device.
It was ascertained whether the device was fitted with a timer or had to be detonated through remote control. A search operation has also been launched in the area.
Security strengthened on LoC after infiltration attempt
A day after foiling one more infiltration attempt in the border district of Poonch, security has been strengthened on the Line of Control (LoC) in the hinterland of Rajouri and Poonch districts.
According to Jammu-based defence spokesperson Lt Col Suneel Bartwal intelligence inputs received from multiple intelligence agencies and Jammu and Kashmir Police revealed the presence of terrorists waiting to cross the Line of Control from opposite own Balakote Sector.
"Based on these inputs own surveillance grid was placed on heightened alert and multiple ambushes were sited at suitable locations", he said.
On the morning of 21 August, two terrorists were detected by alert troops to be making attempts to cross the LoC to sneak into this side making use of inclement weather, dense fog, thick foliage, and undulating ground in the Hamirpur area of the Balakote sector.
"As the terrorists approached our own ambush sites, they were challenged and then engaged with effective fire. This forced the terrorists to flee from the ambush site by making use of weather and ground conditions", the defence spokesperson said.
However effective fire resulted in one terrorist falling down on the ground near the LoC.
Additional troops were then moved into the area and search operations commenced in the afternoon after improvement of weather conditions and visibility. The search of the area led to the recovery of an AK 47 rifle with two magazines, 30 rounds, two grenades, and Pakistan-origin medicines.
"During search blood trails leading towards LC were also detected. As per intelligence inputs the two terrorists who attempted to infiltrate were injured due to fire from own troops, but still managed to return across the LoC and later they succumbed to their injuries", he said.
