LAST-MINUTE INTEL THWARTED TERROR OUTFITS’ OPERATION

NEWDELHI: Security agencies received last-minute intelligence about the movement of a car packed with a powerful bomb in the area, two counter-terrorism officers said.

Troops of Jammu and Kashmir’s Special Operations Group , Rashtriya Rifles, and the 182nd and 183rd battalions of the CRPF secured all the routes to Pulwama and set up checkpoints on Wednesday night after receiving information that a Hizbul Mujahideen terrorist was driving a white Santro car laden with explosives, the officers said on condition of anonymity.

Thy were told that the terrorist may be targeting a convoy of troops or planning to ram the explosiveladen car into a security forces camp. The car, fitted with a powerful bomb made of around 40-45 kg of ammonium nitrate and nitroglycerin, was spotted at Ayangund, Rajpora in Pulwama around 2.30 am on Thursday.

Three camps – two of the CRPF’s 183rd battalion and one of the Rashtriya Rrifles -- were located within 3 km and 5 km of Ayangund where the car was intercepted.