Jammu and Kashmir police commissioner Dilbagh Singh told NDTV on Sunday that a crude bomb was discovered in the city immediately after a drone attack on the city’s Air Force base, extending the probe into what officials alleged was a terror act.
“Drones with payload were used in both the blasts at Jammu airfield. Another crude bomb was found by the Jammu police. This IED (Improvised Explosive Device) was received by LeT (Lashkar-e-Taiba) operative and was to be planted at some crowded place,” Mr Singh said.
He claimed an IED weighing 4 kg was discovered in the Narwal district of Jammu and that Nadeem Ul Haq, a 22-year-old Banihal resident, had been detained. According to Dilbagh Singh, the arrest had nothing to do with the airport incident.
Officials said two explosions shook an Indian Air Force Station in Jammu early Sunday, wounding two persons and inflicting minor damage to a structure.
They went on to say that the blasts have raised security concerns since they might be the first time drones have been utilised in an assault in India.
“Investigations are ongoing in collaboration with civil authorities,” the Indian Air Force said on Sunday, adding that one bomb damaged the top of a structure at the station and the other occurred in an open area.
Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, which provides for the arrest of suspects and their imprisonment for up to six months without proof, has been filed. The investigation has been handed over to the National Investigation Agency (NIA).
The incident is being investigated by teams from the Indian Air Force, the National Bomb Data Centre, forensic specialists, and the Jammu and Kashmir police.
The deployment of drones in the attack, according to senior security sources, would pose a significant challenge to security personnel in the region.
The bombings occurred only hours before Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and Army Chief General MM Naravane arrived in Ladakh for a three-day tour to assess India’s operational preparedness and meet with soldiers amid a protracted stalemate with China.
