Daijiworld Media Network - Srinagar

Srinagar, Feb 21: Security forces in Jammu and Kashmir detected a suspected improvised explosive device (IED) on the Ganderbal-Safapora road in Ganderbal district on Saturday. Authorities immediately cordoned off the area and suspended traffic as a precautionary measure.

Officials confirmed that the bomb disposal squad reached the site to safely neutralize the suspected device. IEDs have increasingly been used by terrorists in the region to target VIPs, security personnel, local police, and army convoys, often causing significant damage and casualties.

Past incidents have included large-scale attacks, such as the February 14, 2019, Pulwama strike, where a suicide bomber rammed a vehicle laden with explosives into a CRPF convoy, resulting in the deaths of 40 personnel and escalating tensions between India and Pakistan.

To mitigate such threats, army and paramilitary patrols regularly inspect highways and key routes in J&K at first light, searching for explosives. IEDs are notoriously difficult to detect due to their construction from common industrial chemicals or repurposed electronics and their varied designs, which can range from small packages to vehicle-borne explosives. These characteristics pose challenges for both military and humanitarian security operations.