Excelsior Correspondent
Srinagar, Oct 31: Security forces today averted a major tragedy by detecting an Improvised Explosive Device (IED) planted by militants in a handy gas cylinder in South Kashmir district of Shopian near Mughal road and Police recovered huge quantity of arms in Srinagar from a Lashkar-e-Toiba (LeT) sleeper cell.
A defence spokesman said here that a patrol party of Rashtriya Rifles (RR) of Army and police detected an IED planted in a gas cylinder near a circuit house, approximately five meters from the Mughal Road this morning.
“A major tragedy was thus averted by thwarting the ill designs of the militants who intended to cause violence and terror in the run up to the Assembly Elections”, the spokesman added.
The spokesman said that the traffic was immediately stopped on either side of the road and services of the Bomb Disposal Squad were requisitioned to diffuse the IED. “The IED was destroyed and normal traffic was soon resumed”, he said.
In the meantime, Srinagar police busted a Lashkar-e-Toiba (LeT) sleeper cell in the city that were planning to carry out subversive activities in Srinagar city. Two militants have been arrested so far and large cache of arms and ammunition has been recovered from them.
Police said that Srinagar Police received a specific input regarding the activities of the sleeper cell of LeT outfit active in Nowgam- Chanpora areas of the city. “This sleeper cell was specifically tasked to carry out subversive activities in and around Srinagar city in the coming days. The activities of the main characters of the sleeper cell were meticulously monitored that lead to the arrest of two militants including a driver of a private school Mohammad Irfan Haroon resident of Tawheed Colony, Natipora and Shakeel Ahmad Bhat resident of Haja Mohalla, Natipora”, said police.
“Three AK 47 rifle, 14 pistols and 2 wireless sets were recovered from them”, police said.
A case (FIR No.89/2014 under Section 7/25 I.A act) has been registered in this regard at Police Station Nowgam, Srinagar. Investigation is going on. More arrests are expected in the case.
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