A major tragedy was on Thursday averted with the timely detection of a live grenade by police at a crowded bus stand in Bandipura district, official sources said.

The grenade planted by suspected militants was detected by a patrolling party of police at Safapora bus stand in Sumbal area of Bandipora on Thursday morning, they said.

The sources said the area was immediately cordoned off and the bomb disposal squad was summoned, which later neutralised the device.

Meanwhile, some gun shots were heard in Lalpora area of Kupwara when security forces launched a search operation in the forest area to flush out hiding militants.

The casualties, if any, was not known immediately as the operation was still continuing, the sources said.