Fayaz Bukhari
Srinagar, Dec 11: Security forces averted a major tragedy in South Kashmir district of Anantnag this morning by defusing a cell-phone fitted Improvised Explosive Device (IED) planted by militants under a culvert while police fired indiscriminately in Sopore last night after they noticed suspicious movement.
Police said that a major tragedy was averted early morning today as security forces detected an IED planted by militants under a culvert in Pulwama district of South Kashmir.
Police said a joint patrol party of police and Army detected a cell phone-fitted IED under the culvert at Mandoora in Tral area of Pulwama district this morning.
Police said a bomb disposal squad was rushed to the spot and a grenade fitted on the IED was removed before the explosive device was detonated in an open field.
The road where the IED was planted is being used by civilians as well as security forces and the security patrol avoided a major tragedy by its timely detection.
Tral area is thought to be hot bed of Hizbul Mujahideen and security forces suspected their hand in planting the IED.
Security forces have launched a hunt to trace out the militants responsible for planting the IED. This is after long time that militants have used cell phone to trigger IEDs.
In the frontier district of Kupwara, one Afroza Begum, 27, wife of Abdul Majid Magray of village Keegam was injured this afternoon in an explosion. She was collecting firewood in the forest area this afternoon when an unknown explosive device went off injuring her critically. The forest area where she was collecting firewood is adjacent to the Army headquarters of Kupwara based 28-Division.
Afroza was critically injured in the explosion and was immediately removed to District Hospital Kupwara for treatment. After assessing the gravity of her injuries she was shifted to Srinagar’s SKIMS hospital for treatment. Her condition is stated to be critical.
In the meantime, police and Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) last night fired in Sopore Chowk at midnight creating panic among residents of the area.
Reports said that a patrol party of the Police and CRPF noticed suspicious movement of two youth near the main Chowk and fired at them. The two youth fled under the cover of darkness and it is not clear whether they were militants or not.
Sopore is militant hub and recently Divisional Commander of Lashkar-e-Toiba (LeT) was gunned down by security forces during an encounter.
Follow our WhatsApp channel