Sibsagar, December 27 2008: AN EXPLOSION was averted and lives of hundreds of people saved on Friday when an IED was found in a busy market in Sibsagar, official sources said.

The personnel of 316 Shield Regiment Army and police recovered the 5-kg of IED from the Moran market where a large number of people had gathered for shopping in the evening, sources said.

The Bomb Disposal Squad of Army later safely defused the bomb, they said adding search operations have been launched to nab those who planted the IED.