Two hybrid militants involved in planting IED in Bandipore held

The police said it has also recovered three remote-controlled improvised explosive devices (IEDs) from their possession

Police on Monday claimed to have arrested two hybrid militants who were involved improvised explosive device (IED) blast incident in Bandipore.

Representational image.

The timely detection of the IED by the army and police had averted a major tragedy on the Sopore-Bandipore highway.

The police said it has also recovered three remote-controlled improvised explosive devices (IEDs) from their possession.

“Police has cracked the recent IED blast incident at Kenusa Bandipora. 02 hybrid terrorists namely Irshad Ganaie @ Shahid & Waseem Raja of Kenusa Bandipora arrested. 02 remote controlled IEDs with detonators recovered. Case registered & investigation going on,” ADGP Kashmir, Vijay Kumar said, in a tweet.

“A major tragedy was averted as security forces destroyed 16kg IED on the Sopore-Bandipore highway that was concealed in two gas cylinders last month, officials said. The IED was placed on the highway to target security force vehicles. The low-intensity IED blast took place between Aloosa and Kenusa in Bandipora on October 27, while an Army vehicle was passing through the area. There was no loss of life reported in the incident.

A police spokesman said acting on specific information, a special checkpoint was established near Watlab Crossing in Sopore in north Kashmir’s Baramulla district.

During checking, a suspicious person carrying a white bag and coming from Bandipore towards Watlab was signalled to stop. However, he tried to flee but was tactfully apprehended by the alert police party. “He was identified as Irshad Ahmad Ganie alias Shahid, a resident of Kehnusa Bandipora. Two IEDs were found in his bag,” the spokesman said. Preliminary investigation revealed that the accused is a hybrid terrorist linked with the proscribed terror outfit Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT), he said. Another hybrid terrorist identified as Wasim Raja Lone, a resident of Kehnusa Bandipore, was arrested from whose possession another IED was recovered, the spokesman said. Police added that the accused were planning to carry out more IED blasts. An FIR has been registered and further investigation is in progress, they added. With inputs from agencies