2019-like terror attack stopped as 20 kg IED-laden vehicle seized in Pulwama

The plan had chilling similarities with last year's attack in which over 40 security personnel were killed when a suicide bomber drove a vehicle loaded with the explosives into the CRPF convoy.

Confirming the recovery, Inspector General of Police (IGP), Kashmir Vijay Kumar said that a major incident of an IED blast was averted by the timely input and action by Pulwama Police, CRPF and Army.

Giving details, sources said that following specific information, a joint checkpoint was established by the CRPF, police and Army at Rajpora in Pulwama last night.

''Security forces signalled a vehicle to stop at the checkpoint at around 2130 hrs last night,'' they said. However, the vehicle jumped the checkpoint, following which a brief exchange of fire took place. ''The vehicle was abandoned at a distance from the checkpoint by the driver, who managed to escape under the cover of darkness,'' they said. During checking, security forces recovered an IED from the vehicle. Bomb Disposal Squad was rushed to the spot and the explosive device was defused.

''Police have registered a case and initiated investigation into the incident,'' they said, adding that preliminary investigation revealed that the vehicle had a fake number plate.

"It (car) was kept under watch for the night. People in nearby houses were evacuated and the vehicle was destroyed on site by the bomb disposal squad as moving it would have been a serious threat," Director General of Police Dilbag Singh said, reported NDTV.

After the Pulwama attack in 2019, India attacked a camp of the terror group Jaish-e-Mohammed deep inside Pakistan, followed by an air battle.

There has been a spurt in terrorist activities in Jammu and Kashmir in the last two months. While 30 security forces personnel have been martyred, at least 38 terrorists have been gunned down.