Pulwama-like Attack Averted in J&K

Security forces in Jammu and Kashmir averted a major incident of a vehicle-borne improvised explosive device (IED) blast in Pulwama on Thursday morning after an explosive-laden vehicle was intercepted in the district.

A joint team of the Jammu and Kashmir Police, the Army and the CRPF swing into action on Wednesday night following an input that a terrorist was moving with an explosive-laden car in Pulwama district ready to blast at a location.

Based on intelligence inputs, the security forces intercepted a white Hyundai Santro car. The security forces intercepted the vehicle in Rajpora of Pulwama and a few rounds were fired late Wednesday night. The driver of the car, however, abandoned the vehicle and escaped after an initial gunfight.

“We had an intercept of a terrorist. When car was intercepted after an initial exchange of fire, the terrorist escaped under cover of darkness,” DG, JKP, Dilbag Singh said.

The vehicle was kept under watch for the night and meanwhile, evacuated nearby villages. On Thursday morning, security forces called in bomb disposal squad and the vehicle was exploded, sources said.

The explosives were kept in a blue drum of the car, which had a fake number plate. The car was registered in the name of a two-wheeler owner, registered in Kathua, sources said.

Giving details, the CRPF said the incident took place in Ayangund area of Rajpora in Pulwama.

Personnel of the CRPF, SOG and Army’s 44 RR launched a cordon and search operation (CASO) wherein they recovered huge quantity of explosives in the white Hyndai Santro car.

The incident has similarities to the February-2019 terror attack in Pulwama in which killed 40 CRPF soldiers were killed following IED blast in car, driven by Adil ahmed Dar, a Jaish terrorist.

In April last year, a similar attempt of exploding an IED was foiled in Banihal in which Hizbul Mujahideen terror module was said to be involved.

Both cases of terror conspiracy are being investigated by the NIA. With terror link suspected to be from Pakistan-backed Lashkar, the latest incident is also likely to be handed over to NIA.