Srinagar: Alert troopers of the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) Thursday averted a major tragedy on the Jammu-Srinagar National Highway by timely detecting and defusing an improvised explosive device (IED), an official said.
"Troopers of the 24 Battalion detected an IED planted in a culvert on the Jammu-Srinagar highway Wednesday night," CRPF Inspector General (Operations) B.N. Ramesh told reporters here Thursday.
"The explosive device was defused around 12.10 a.m. Thursday with the help of a bomb disposal squad and a dog squad," he added.
Ramesh said the timely detection of the bomb averted a major tragedy on the National Highway No.1A.
Asked whether the target of the IED were the pilgrims on the annual Amarnath Yatra, the CRPF inspector general said, “I cannot say whether the IED had been planted to target the yatris or any other vehicle. Our duty is to ensure safety of everybody who is using the highway."
IANS
First Published: Thursday, July 12, 2012, 13:43