Srinagar, Feb 22 (UNI) A majority tragedy was averted after security forces detected and defused a powerful Improvised Explosive Device (IED) planted on the Pantha Chowk-Baramulla highway in the outskirts of Srinagar on Monday, when train service was resumed after remaining suspended for about a year due to COVID-19.
A senior police officer told reporters that a joint Road Opening Party (ROP) of Army, police and CRPF during a routine patrolling noticed a bag on the highway at Kanihama in the outskirts of Srinagar this morning.
He said traffic on the highway between Pantha Chowk to Nowgam was halted as a precautionary measure.
A Bomb Disposal Squad (BDS) was immediately summoned, officer said adding later the IED kept in the bag was defused without causing any damage in the nearby open field.
Traffic has now been resumed on the highway, he said adding had it not been detected and defused it would have caused much damage to life and property.
In reply to a question he said Nowgam railway station and railway track was far away from the area where the IED was detected.
He said train service was resumed as per schedule today.
Eyewitnesses told UNI that traffic from Pantha Chowk and Nowgam was suspended on the highway.
However, traffic from Nowgam to airport and north district on highway was being allowed to ply normally.
Meanwhile, hundreds of vehicles, from different north Kashmir districts besides Srinagar uptown and outskirts on way to Pantha Chowk got stranded on one tube of the highway. Hundreds of vehicles could be seen stranded from Nowgam to Bemina on the highway.
After the traffic was allowed when IED was defused, vehicles are now plying on the highway.

UNI BAS SB 1200