Lagatar24 desk
New Delhi, Feb 14: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday paid tributes to the 40 Central Reserve Police Force personnel who lost their lives in the Pulwama terror attack in 2019 on the Jammu–Srinagar National Highway.
“Remembering our valorous heroes who we lost on this day in Pulwama. We will never forget their supreme sacrifice. Their courage motivates us to build a strong and developed India”, the prime minister tweeted.
Remembering our valorous heroes who we lost on this day in Pulwama. We will never forget their supreme sacrifice. Their courage motivates us to build a strong and developed India.
— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) February 14, 2023
On this day in 2019, 40 CRPF jawans lost their lives after the convoy got attacked by a vehicle-borne suicide bomber at Lethapora in the Pulwama district. The attack was carried out by the Pakistani terror group Jaish-e-Mohammed, which is led by Masood Azhar based in Bahawalpur.
India avenged the Pulwama terror attack by carrying out airstrikes on Jaba Top in Balakot, destroying Jaish’s terror training camps. Although the exact number of terrorists killed in the airstrikes is not known, more than 300 religious radicals were spotted at the training camp a day before the strikes based on high-resolution images taken there.
The attack dealt a severe blow to India-Pakistan relations, consequently resulting in the 2019 India-Pakistan military standoff. Subsequently, Indian investigations identified 19 accused. By August 2021, the main accused along with six others had been killed, and seven had been arrested.
Even after four years, Masood Azhar continues to be free under the protectionthe by the Pakistani deep state. Last year, the Centre had designated his brother Mohiuddin Aurangzeb Alamgir alias Ammar Alvi as an individual terrorist under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act. Alvi is a senior Jaish leader and was involved in the Pulwama terror attack.
