The army on Wednesday recovered a 12 kg improvised explosive device planted on the Jammu-Srinagar National Highway, on the route taken by thousands of Amarnath pilgrims every day.

The yatra was suspended for three hours as explosives experts removed the IED and then checked the entire area all over again, official sources said.

The IED was found at Ramso, 172 km Jammu, in Doda district. The target apparently was a convoy of vehicles carrying Amarnath-bound pilgrims which was scheduled to pass by the spot at 0900 on its way to the Pahalgam base camp.