Gelatine sticks and urea used in blast near CRPF convoy in Banihal, search operation underway

Deadly amount of urea, gelatine sticks and oil were used in the Santro blast, which took place near Tethar village, seven kilometre from Banihal town in Jammu and Kashmir's Ramban district on Saturday, according to sources. As per the initial report, huge quantity of urea was used in the explosion, leading to damage in a CRPF vehicle near the Jawahar Tunnel - the gateway to the Kashmir Valley around 10:30 am this morning.

The private Santro car, which went up in flames after the explosion on the Jammu-Srinagar national highway, was completely gutted in the fire and a search operation is currently underway to nab the absconder driver. Forensic experts had also been summoned to help the investigation. The total number of damaged vehicles is yet to be ascertained by the Jammu and Kashmir police, sources added.

Being asked if it was a terror attack or not, Governor Satya Pal Malik told reporters, "No explosive of sorts, but nothing can be said at the moment".

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A CRPF vehicle, which was passing through the highway at the time of the incident, suffered slight damage in the rear side, but all the personnel on board escaped unhurt. Around 10 vehicles were reported to be part of the convoy.

The incident triggered memories of the vehicle-borne suicide attack on a Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) convoy in Jammu and Kashmir's Pulwama district on February 14. At least 42 CRPF personnel were killed and dozens of others injured in the deadliest terror attack after a Jaish suicide bomber rammed a vehicle carrying over 30 kg of explosives into their bus.

More than 2,500 Central Reserve Police Force personnel, many of them returning from leave to rejoin duty in the Valley, were travelling in the convoy of 78 vehicles when they were ambushed on the Srinagar-Jammu highway at Latoomode in Awantipora in south Kashmir.