Hizbul Mujahideen, Jaish-e-Mohammad wanted to carry out 2019-type attack in Pulwama: Jammu and Kashmir police

Hours after the personnel of the bomb disposal squad successfully defused an improvised explosive device (IED) planted inside a Santro car in Jammu Kashmir's Pulwama, Vijay Kumar, IG Police Jammu and Kashmir said that the occupant of the car identified as Adil is a Hizbul Mujahideen terrorist, who is also in touch with another terror group Jaish-e-Mohammed.

Addressing a press conference, IG Kumar said, "We had received information that a militant of Jaish-e-Mohammed is going to carry out the operation. So we suspect that Adil (occupant of the car carrying IED) - a Hizbul Mujahideen militant is also in touch with Jaish-e-Mohammed."

IG Kumar added that Adil planned to target vehicles of security forces. He said that expert teams from outside Jammu and Kashmir have been called to probe the matter. It is suspected that 40-45 kg of explosives was present in the car.

The IED was recovered from a white-coloured Santro car with a fake number plate  in Ayengund area of Rajpora in Pulwama district on Thursday. Adil managed to escape from the spot after the security forces stopped the car.

Pulwama Police received credible information on Wednesday that a terrorist was moving with an explosive laden car ready to attack at some location. The security forces swung into action and various teams were formed to cover all possible routes. The terrorists got alarmed by the beefed up security and escaped after abandoning the car. After investigation it was found that the vehicle was carrying heavy explosives in a drum on the rear seat.

The security forces kept the car under watch for the night and evacuated the people in nearby houses before calling in the Bomb Disposal Squad to defuse the bomb.