Pulwama-type attack averted, J&K Police seizes car laden with 45 kg explosives

SRINAGAR: Jammu and Kashmir Police on Thursday averted a 2019 Pulwama-type attack when they chased and seized a car laden with about 45 kg of explosives in the south Kashmir district, officials said.

Inspector General of Police (Kashmir range) Vijay Kumar told reporters there were intel

ligence inputs about plans of banned Hizbul Mujahideen and Jaish-e-mohammed terror groups to repeat an attack similar to last year's February 14 strike on a CRPF convoy that

left 40 personnel dead.

“The police had intelligence inputs for past one week that Hizbul Mujahideen and Jaishe-mohammed terrorists had plans to launch a big strike using a suicide bomber and car bomb to target security forces. Based on these inputs, checkposts were placed in Pulwama by the security forces on Wednesday,” he told reporters here.

Unfolding the sequence of events, Kumar said on Wednesday evening when the suspected car, which police claimed to have all inputs, was spotted approaching a check post, it was signalled to stop. However, its driver turned the car in a different direction and fled from the scene before being trapped at another check post.

“At another check post, the forces again fired some warning shots and the terrorist fled from the spot, taking advantage of darkness, and left the car behind. The forces used lights to check the vehicle from a distance after finding something suspicious. We tightened the cordon and waited for the first light of the day.

“This morning, a bomb disposal squad reached the spot and saw the vehicle was laden with explosives. The IED was defused in a technical way by the police, army and paramilitary CRPF. The Pulwama police, with the help of security forces, have averted a major tragedy and I congratulate all of the forces,” he said. Images taken by drones were also shared with the media about the controlled explosion of the car carrying 45 kg of explosives.

The IGP said that a man named Adil, who works for both the terror groups, is believed to be one of the planners. The number plate used on the car actually was that of a motorcycle.