6 Chinese grenades recovered from highway in Srinagar

They were handed over to police for disposal, says CRPF spokesman

Security personnel take positions during a search operation along Parimpora-Panthachowk bypass road in Srinagar. File photo

Panic gripped the outskirts of Srinagar on Monday morning when a CRPF patrol spotted and seized a bag full of hand grenades placed on the national highway.

“During a routine road opening exercise along National Highway-44, troopers recovered six Chinese grenades from a sandbag, which was placed on the divider of the road. The alertness of the troops averted an incident on the busy highway,” CRPF spokesman Abhiram said.

Due to the rush on the highway, the grenades were not defused on the spot. “They were handed over to the police for disposal,” he stated.

The grenades were placed at a location in Bemina area where the CRPF would deploy its quick reaction team (QRT) during the day, officials said.

Security was heightened on the highway.

The grenades’ recovery comes two days after militants executed twin attacks in the capital. A grenade attack was carried out on a police picket in Chanapora on September 11 and a policeman was shot dead the next day in Khanyar area.