Rajouri: A tragedy was averted with timely detection of a powerful Improvised Explosive Device (IED) in Rajouri district on Sunday, officials said.
The IED, planted inside a tiffin box, was found lying on the roadside near a culvert by the Army’s road opening party (ROP) at Sangpur village along the Jammu-Poonch national highway around 4.45 am, they said.
Jammu-based defence PRO Lt Col Suneel Bartwal said three teams from the nearest Army camp moved to the location and established a motor vehicle check post at Kallar and Balavenue following the detection of the IED.
Simultaneously, police were informed and integrated into the operation, he said, adding that a bomb disposal team moved to the location and successfully identified and neutralised the IED around 8.15 am.
The officials said the traffic on the busy highway remained suspended for over three hours following the detection of the IED, which was later destroyed in a controlled explosion without any damage.
Police have registered a case and further investigation is on to identify and arrest the suspected terrorists who planted the IED on the highway with the intention to trigger an explosion, the officials added.
