IED recovered on Khanabal-Amarnath route

Srinagar, June 30: A major tragedy was averted on Khanabal- Amarnath route when Jammu and Kashmir police timely detected and defused a powerful Improvised Explosive Device (IED) on traditional Pahalgam track this morning.

A police spokesman quoting Javid Ahmad Mattoo, Additional Superintendent of Police (ASP), Anantnag, told sources that a police party noticed an unclaimed lunch box near Anantnag Degree College on the busy Khanabal-Pahalgam road this morning.

The entire area was sealed and traffic stopped from both the sides on the road.

Later, the Bomb Disposal Squad (BDS) was summoned and a five kg IED in the lunch box was defused without causing any damage.

The ASP said preliminary investigation reveal that Hizbul Mujahideen (HM) was responsible for planting the IED to target pilgrims since the route was being used by the yatris.

He said militant groups make such attempts to cause blasts on the yatra route during the pilgrimage.

The two-month-long yatra, which was scheduled to take off from today, was delayed due to heavy rains and bad weather.

UNI

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