J&K: Car from which IED was recovered in Pulwama belongs to Hizbul militant

On Thursday, the Jammu and Kashmir Police said that the security forces foiled a car bombing “similar to the 2019 Pulwama attack” by intercepting a car fitted with 40-45 kgs of explosives in the same district.

The Santro car, from which “40-45 kgs” of Improvised Explosive Device (IED) was recovered on Thursday in Jammu and Kashmir’s Pulwama district, belongs to a Hizbul Mujahedeen militant from south Kashmir’s Shopian district, the investigations have found.

Police officials told The Indian Express on Friday that the investigation has found that the car recovered on Thursday belonged to an active militant from the Shopian district. “So far, we have come to know that the said car belonged to the HM militant from Shopian. We are investigating the matter further,” the officer said.

On Thursday, the Jammu and Kashmir Police said that the security forces foiled a car bombing “similar to the 2019 Pulwama attack” by intercepting a car fitted with 40-45 kgs of explosives in the same district.

IGP, Kashmir, Vijay Kumar had told The Indian Express on Thursday that the timely information generated by police and joint action averted a major tragedy. “It is a big success for police and security forces today. We foiled an attack which was similar to the 2019 Pulwama attack. The timely info generated by police and joint action averted a major tragedy. I congratulate the forces for the success.”

On Wednesday night, after checkpoints were put at different places by joint forces in Pulwama, a Santro car didn’t stop in Rajpora area late night. When the security forces opened fire, after it didn’t stop, the vehicle was intercepted in a nearby village, and the driver managed to escape.

Following the recovery of the car, the bomb disposal squad destroyed the explosives fitted in the car. The car had a fake number plate and the forces found a huge quantity of IED fitted in a drum inside the car.

Police officials suspect that Adil, who is a Hizbul Muzahiddin militant and is also with JEM and a Pakistan Commander Fouji Bhai, is also involved in yesterday’s case.

In a press conference, IGP Kashmir Vijay Kumar had said, “They would have targeted security forces or police vehicles…we are calling experts from outside. Primary investigations reveal that nitrate salt and nitroglycerine was used. In the morning, we said weight (of IED) could be 25 kg, but since the debris went up in the air to 50 metres (after the controlled explosion), it looks 40-45 kgs of explosives were there.”