The two IED blasts that hit the Udhampur district of Jammu and Kashmir within 8 hours of each other had a "certain similarity" and were likely triggered by a timer, a senior police official said Thursday.

Mukesh Singh, the Additional Director General of Police (Jammu), said this after visiting the Udhampur bus stand, where the second blast struck this morning. "Two IED blasts have taken place. The first was at 10:30 pm yesterday and the other was at 6 am today. Both happened on empty buses. Both blasts have a certain similarity. It's likely that they are sticky bombs but we cannot say that for sure," Singh told ANI.

Singh said it is likely that sticky bombs were used in both the blasts. "It seems (the devices) were triggered by a timer," he said, adding an investigation is underway.

Two people were injured in the first blast in Domali Chowk and have been admitted to the Udhampur District Hospital. The explosion was powerful enough to damage vehicles parked nearby. The second blast struck a bus stand but no one was injured.

A bomb detection and disposal squad, accompanied by sniffer dogs, had arrived at the site of the second blast this morning and started their investigation. Wearing full protective gear, the squad members inspected the bus stand area for suspected objects and explosives.

Suleman Choudhary, the deputy inspector general of police, Udhampur-Reasi Range, said people injured in the blast are now out of danger.

Meanwhile, some locals led by Udhampur Congress Counselor Preeti Khajuria staged a protest against the district administration after the blasts. (ANI)