Security forces prevent 2019-like Pulwama attack after seizing 45 kg IED in car; driver escapes
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According to the police, a white Hyundai Santro car was asked to stop at the checkpoint, but it accelerated and tried to go through the barricade.
The security forces have prevented another massive car bomb attack in Jammu and Kashmir's Pulwama district. The forces stopped a vehicle that was carrying over 45kg of improvised explosive device (IED) which is enough to repeat the attack that took place in 2019.
According to the police, a white Hyundai Santro car was asked to stop at the checkpoint, but it accelerated and tried to go through the barricade.
"The security forces opened fire. The driver managed to escape, leaving behind the car laden with IED," Inspector General of Police Vijay Kumar said. "We got intelligence about a possible attack. We were looking for a vehicle with IED since yesterday," he added.
The car had a fake registration number and was later destroyed along with IED by a bomb disposal squad. The explosion damaged many houses in the area.
#WATCH J&K: In-situ explosion of the vehicle, which was carrying IED, by Police in Pulwama.
— ANI (@ANI) May 28, 2020
Major incident of vehicle-borne IED explosion was averted by Police, CRPF & Army after Pulwama Police got credible info last night that a terrorist was moving with an explosive-laden car pic.twitter.com/UnUHSYB07C
"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.
In 2019's Pulwama attack, a car carrying IED smashed into a CRPF bus killing 40 CRPF soldiers. India retaliated by bombing a camp of the terror group Jaish-e-Mohammed deep inside Pakistan. An air battle also followed between Indian and Pakistani fighter jets.