IED defused in Srinagar, tragedy averted

Security forces averted a major tragedy on the outskirts of Jammu and Kashmir's summer capital Srinagar Tuesday by detecting and defusing an improvised explosive device (IED) on the Srinagar-Muzzafarabad highway.

A senior police officer told IANS that a security force patrol detected the IED planted along the highway at Shalteng, around 12 km from city centre Lal Chowk.

Counter-insurgency troops of Rashtriya Rifles defused the IED, averting a major tragedy in the area, the officer said.

Traffic on the highway was halted for several hours.