In heart-wrenching news, no less than 36 CRPF personnel lost their lives in Jammu and Kashmir’s Pulwama district on Thursday when a Jaish-e-Mohammed terrorist tamped an explosives-loaded vehicle into the bus they were travelling in. According to the officials, this is one of the worst terror strikes in the state in recent years.
It has been said that more than 2,500 Central Reserve Police Force personnel who were returning from leave days to ‘rejoin duty’ in the valley were travelling in the convoy of 78 vehicles when they were attacked by surprise on the Srinagar-Jammu highway at Latoomode in Awantipora.
According to the cops, the terrorist who was driving a suicide vehicle was identified as Adil Ahmad from Kakapora in Pulwama who joined the JeM last year.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi added that sacrifice of the brave security personnel will not go in vain. “Attack on CRPF personnel in Pulwama is despicable. I strongly condemn this dastardly attack. The sacrifices of our brave security personnel shall not go in vain. The entire nation stands shoulder to shoulder with the families of the brave martyrs. May the injured recover quickly,” PM Modi wrote in his tweet.
Attack on CRPF personnel in Pulwama is despicable. I strongly condemn this dastardly attack. The sacrifices of our brave security personnel shall not go in vain. The entire nation stands shoulder to shoulder with the families of the brave martyrs. May the injured recover quickly.
— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) February 14, 2019
The terror group has claimed full responsibility for the unexpected attack that happened about 30 km from Srinagar, the officials said.
Besides the fatality rate which is likely to go up, close to 20 people were severely injured in the terror attack, which even disfigured the shape of the bus and several other buses were damaged in the attack too. Body parts could be seen scattered around the area.
“It was a large convoy and about 2.500 personnel were travelling in multiple vehicles. Some shots were also fired at the convoy.” CRPF DG RR Bhatnagar told PTI.
