I n a major success in the war against terrorism, the Indian Army, police, and CRPF averted a major terrorist attack in Pulwama, Srinagar, by tracking an IEDladen Santro on time and defusing it. The car driver escaped from the scene and a manhunt has been launched to nab him. The registration number of the white Santro was that of a two-wheeler and the owner is from Kathua, Jammu. The terrorist driving the car, Adil, is said to be a Hizbul Mujahideen terrorist.
The terrorist, who had attacked the CRPF convoy in Pulwama in February 2019 by driving an explosive laden car into the convoy, was also named Adil. Jammu and Kashmir Police IG Vijay Kumar told The Daily Guardian that the Jaish-e-Mohammed was behind this conspiracy, and the Hizbul and the Lashkar were helping to carry out the attack.
Indian agencies were aware that the Pakistani ISI had instructed three terror groups—Lashkar, Jaish, and Hizbul to blast IEDs. This attack was planned as the ISI had been furious on terrorists being wiped out one after the other from Kashmir Valley. IG Vijay Kumar said, “We have been receiving inputs for the past one week that Jaish-e-Mohammed, Lashkar-e-Tayyaba and Hizbul Mujahideen are together planning a suicide attack. In this, they are using car bombs. Yesterday, our information was confirmed during the day.
Later in the evening, the Pulwama police tracked down the car and the CRPF and army blocked several places.” “The Naka party shot a warning fire after which the terrorist tried to escape by reversing the car. He was given another warning in which he escaped by dodging in the dark and the car was left there. Our forces watched it from afar and waited for morning. In the morning, a team of bomb defusers along with the Army reached there and detected the bomb. The bomb was then safely defused by videography and photography.
In this way, a huge tragedy was averted. Initial inputs were that the car could contain up to 25 kg explosives, but according to the debris which was elevated after the explosion, it is estimated to weigh around 45-50 kg,” the IG added. According to Intelligence agencies, Pakistani terrorist and Jaish commander Waleed, who is hiding in Kulgam, is behind the making and planting the IED in Santro. Walid specialises in making and blasting IEDs.
In an exclusive chat with The Daily Guardian, Jammu & Kashmir DGP Dilbag Singh said that it was known that the number plate of a two-wheeler was used on the car to dodge security forces. The car was heading towards the highway and was about to attack the convoy or defence installation of the security A f t e r I n d i a tightening the border and the killing of Hizbul Mujahideen top commander and most-wanted terrorist Riyaz Naikoo in Kashmir, the Pakistani Army has been trying to harm India through local and foreign terrorists present in Kashmir.
The intelligence agencies believe that the second attempt to attack in Pulwama is also linked to this. This conclusion is drawn from how a 45-50 kg IED could not have been placed in a car without the help of Pakistan.