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Updated: Oct 01, 2019 18:25 IST

Security forces on Tuesday morning recovered over 15 kgs of gunpowder-like substance from a bus at Jammu Bus stand area. The bus was coming from Billawar Tehsil of Kathua district.

Following an intelligence input to the army, security forces stopped the bus Opposite KC Cineplex, which has a school and a college on the other side of the road where bus stopped to de-board the passengers.

Defence spokesman Lt Col Devender Anand said, “Some gunpowder-type substance has been confiscated. Someone had given the bag to the conductor in Billawar to hand it over to a person in Jammu.”

Sources said that a map depicting vital installations in Jammu city was also found by the security forces from the confiscated bag.

Inspector general of police Mukesh Singh said, “Things are not clear as yet. We are still investigating the matter. We are not sure if the confiscated material is actually explosives or not. We are investigating its origin as well. There is no FSL report as yet regarding the substance.”

The bus driver and conductor were being questioned, the IGP said.

There have been three grenade attacks by terrorists at Jammu bus stand since May last year.

A teenager was killed and 32 others were injured in a grenade attack by suspected terrorists at the crowded general bus stand area in the heart of Jammu city in March. A teenaged suspect arrested for throwing the grenade confessed to interrogators that an overground worker of the Hizbul Mujahideen outfit had paid him Rs 50,000.

It may also be recalled that 40 kg gun powder was recovered from a home in Billawar’s Deval area recently.