The Jammu and Kashmir Police, on one occasion, saved everyone’s life on Monday when they detected and neutralized an IED laid on the Srinagar-Baramulla highway. The IED was discovered in the Palhallan area while police checkpoint on the highway by conscious police officers. As soon as the stranger’s object was identified, the police ordered a bomb squad, and it was noted that the stranger had an explosive.
It didn’t take long before the area was sealed off, and all traffic on the busy highway halted to allow for safety. The bomb squad, therefore, directly engaged in dismantling the IED and contained the bomb in a few hours. After that, normal traffic was back on soon to prevent what could have been an enormous accident. But, officials have not to this date taken a decision on who might have set it or the planned recipient of the same.
The occurrence raises relevance as the place where IED was planted is as close as 30-40 kilometers to Gulmarg which is well-visited in this season because of the tourist season. Jammu and Kashmir roads have been subjected to terrorist IED attacks by laying belts of IEDs which are usually command wire, timer, or even pressure operated to hit security force convoys or VIP motorcades. These tactics have been a recurring threat, always underlining the problems that security forces in the region experience.
The attempted attack comes soon after authorities slapped three houses in separate terror cases under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act last week in Shopian and Baramulla districts. As it emerged from the officials, some of the properties associated with the said individuals were linked with terrorist or their known associates.
The identities and the reasons behind the latest attack are still unknown; however, the resolute actions of the police most certainly prevented a large-scale disaster which would have happened if the explosive had been activated. Seemingly the police forces justified their existence once again and constant vigilance and preparedness for worst-case scenarios is the key to safety in the area.
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