A man has been detained in connection with the 2019 Pulwama-like attack which was averted by the security forces in the district on Thursday, sources said. The man has been detained from Shopian, J&K.

The suspect is said to be the brother of Hizbul Mujahideen militant Hidayatullah Malik whose explosive-laden car was detained on Thursday after it was intercepted in Rajpora of Pulwama based on intelligence inputs.

The security forces in J&K averted a major incident of a 2019 Pulwama-like vehicle-borne attack on Thursday morning when they chased and seized a car in the district laden with about 45 kg of explosives.

The car which was laden with the explosives belonged to an active member of the Hizbul Mujahideen terror group, police said on Friday.

The Hizbul Mujahideen militant, identified as Hidayatullah Malik, is a resident of Sharatpora in Shopian, police said. He had joined the militant ranks in July 2019.

"As per the investigations we have found the car belongs to Hidayatullah Malik. He is an active Hizbul Mujahideen militant who is a resident of Sharatpora Shopian. He had joined militant ranks in July last year and is being wanted by the forces," said a senior police officer.