Security forces on Saturday averted a major tragedy by detecting and destroying an improvised explosive device (IED) in Bandipora district of Jammu and Kashmir, officials said.
The IED, weighing around 18 kg, was fitted with two gas cylinders in Astango area of the north Kashmir district, they said.
Srinagar-based Public Relations Officer (Defence) Col Emron Musavi said that based on intelligence received from the police and corroborated by the army, a joint operation was launched in the early hours of Saturday.
"Search parties were immediately deployed and an area of 300-meter radius was cordoned off. The IED was detected at about 08.35 am," he said.
A bomb disposal squad neutralised the IED, which was found in close proximity to the Bandipora-Sopore road, without any collateral damage, he said.
"#Chinarwarriors & @JmuKmrPolice averted a major terror attack today by recovering & in-situ destroying an 18kg #IED at Astangoo, #Bandipora. #IndianArmy stands by its commitment to keep #Kashmir terror free," Chinar Corps of the army wrote on Twitter.
The Bandipora-Sopore highway is an important line of communication for civil traffic as well as for the army and CAPF convoys.
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