"A major tragedy was averted with the timely detection of an Improvised Explosive Device (IED), planted by terrorists near the strategically vital Qazigund town yesterday morning," a defence spokesman said.
He said the troops of 9 Rashtriya Rifles Battalion detected the IED containing high explosive material wrapped in a polythene package, which was planted in a roadside drain.
The traffic was halted on both sides of national highway to prevent any loss of life and property in the vicinity of the site, the spokesman said.
Initial chemical analysis of the blast site by the Bomb Disposal Squad revealed the presence of high explosive Penta-Erythrolyte Tetra-Nitrate (PETN) in the IED, he added.
