Major tragedy averted, IED planted on Srinagar-Baramulla road defused

Srinagar, Jan 14: Security forces on Sunday averted a major tragedy when they detected and defused a powerful Improvised Explosive Device (IED), planted by militants on the city outskirts on Srinagar-Bandipora road.

This was the second IED detected and defused by the security forces on city outskirts during the past 24 hrs.
The IED has been defused and traffic has now been restored on the road, official sources said, adding that no one was injured but window panes of a shopping complex were damaged due to the impact of the blast, sound of which was heard in the entire area.
Sources said that Army, paramilitary forces and police cordoned off entire Malroo and other adjoining areas, about 12 km from here early this morning following a tip off that militants had planted an IED.
As the exact place where the IED had been planted, security forces pressed into service sniffer dogs besides metal detectors since early this morning to detect it (IED). Traffic from both sides on very busy road was suspended and a search operation was launched in the area.
The sources said the IED was found near a shopping complex, a stone’s throw away from the residence of spokesman for the hardline Hurriyat Conference (HC) Aiyaz Akbar, presently lodged in Delhi’s Tihar jail in connection with terror funding case.
In the morning, vehicles were plying normally though some of the vehicles were being searched before allowing them to go. Pedestrians were moving freely in the area in the morning before the road was closed.
A resident told UNI over phone that security forces directed all shopkeepers to close their shops and traffic has been stopped from both sides.
''We were directed to remain indoor as IED has been planted on the road,'' he said, adding that dog squads and metal detectors have been pressed into service to detect the IED.
It was after a long search the IED was found planted near a shopping complex which was later defused. No one was injured though window panes of shopping complex were damaged due to the impact of the blast.
An IED was detected and defused by the BDS at HMT on Srinagar-Baramulla road yesterday. Two persons were injured in mysterious fire during the operation. Investigation was on.
Recently, four police personnel were killed in an IED blast, triggered by militants at Sopore in north Kashmir.