A major tragedy was on Thursday averted by alert Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) when they detected and defused a powerful Improvised Explosive Device (IED) planted on Srinagar-Baltal yatra route.

Had it not been detected and defused it would have caused much damage to life and property, a CRPF spokesman said.

He said a Road Opening Party (ROP) of 118 batallion CRPF was searching the yatra route when they found some suspicious packet under some stones at Manigam on Srinagar-Baltal, base camp of the Amarnath cave, route at 0730 hrs.

The entire area was cordoned off and traffic on the route was stopped from both sides, he said adding later the two kg IED was defused without causing any damage.

He said besides Amarnath pilgrims, CRPF and Army convoy also passses through the same route.

Spokesman said no traffic was being allowed on the route without getting clearance from all RPOs. This, he said, was being done to make sure that the road was safe for journey.