Security officers in J&K destroy three suspected gas cylinders discovered in Kupwara

According to an official release, security personnel exploded three suspicious gas cylinders discovered in Ganapora hamlet of Kralgund in the north Kashmir district of Kupwara on Friday. The suspected cylinders were controlled detonated by the Army’s road opening party (ROP) in coordination with the 30 Rashtriya Rifles (30RR) and the Handwara Police.

The Jammu and Kashmir Police said in a press release, “In a swift response to a potential security threat, the ROP of 25 ADP in collaboration with the 30 Rashtriya Rifles and Handwara Police, successfully detonated three suspicious small gas cylinders found along the roadside in Ganapora, area of Kralgund Handwara in Kupwara district.”

“Recognising the potential danger, the security forces acted promptly to assess and mitigate the threat. At around 1030 hours, the joint team of 30RR and Handwara Police safely detonated the suspicious cylinders,” it stated further.

Subsequent probe and examination of the cylinders revealed that contained urea, a non-lethal substance. There were no injuries or reports of damage to life or property during this incident, it added.

“The authorities are actively investigating the incident to determine the motives and those responsible for placing these cylinders in a public area. Security measures have been reinforced in the vicinity to ensure the safety and well-being of the local community,” the J-K Police stated in the release.

The local authorities advised the public to be watchful and report any suspicious activity or objects to the nearest police unit. Last month, a suspicious object that seemed to be an Improvised Explosive Device (IED) was discovered on the Srinagar Baramulla National Highway in Hanjiwera Pattan and defused by security authorities.

After a suspicious object was discovered on the National Highway, security was increased and traffic was held in Baramulla. After receiving word of the object, the Jammu and Kashmir Police, Army, and Bomb Disposal Squad (BDS) responded on the scene. Earlier in August, an Improvised Explosive Device (IED) was discovered in Jammu’s Nagrota and was defused before it could cause any harm, according to officials.