India Remembers Pulwama Martyrs: Here's Everything You Need To Know About The Attack
Today, India honours the memory of 40 CRPF soldiers who made the ultimate sacrifice in the Pulwama terror attack on February 14, 2019.
The attack, carried out by alleged Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM), a Pakistan-based terrorist group, resulted in one of the deadliest attacks on Indian security forces in recent history.
The Pulwama attack was a suicide bombing that targeted a CRPF convoy on the Srinagar-Jammu National Highway. The attack killed 40 soldiers and injured many others.
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Every year, February 14 is observed as ‘Black Day‘ to honour the bravehearts who made the ultimate sacrifice and to reflect on the ongoing battle against terrorism in India.
How did it happen?
On February 14, 2019, a convoy consisting of 78 vehicles was transporting over 2,500 personnel from the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) from Jammu to Srinagar along National Highway 44.
The convoy departed from Jammu at approximately 3:30 PM and was carrying a large number of personnel because the highway had been shut down for the previous two days. The convoy was scheduled to arrive at its destination before sunset.
Around 3:15 PM, Lethpora in Pulwama district, a bus carrying security personnel was struck by a car loaded with explosives.
This collision resulted in an explosion that killed 40 members of the 76th Battalion of the CRPF and injured many others. The injured were transported to the army base hospital in Srinagar for treatment.
The JeM claimed responsibility for the attack. They also released a video of the assailant, Adil Ahmad Dar, who was 22 years old and from Kakapora.
Dar had joined the group a year earlier. His family last saw him in March 2018 when he left home on a bicycle and never returned.
Pakistan denied any involvement, although Jaish-e-Mohammed’s leader, Masood Azhar, is known to operate within the country. This attack was the deadliest on India’s state security personnel in Kashmir since 1989.
It was said that the Central Government received at least 11 intelligence inputs, including warnings from the Intelligence Bureau and Kashmir Police, in the days leading up to the attack.
Furthermore, Jaish-e-Mohammed posted an ominous video on social media two days prior, hinting at a similar suicide attack in Kashmir.
Despite these clear warnings, the Home Ministry made a critical error, refusing to provide CRPF aircraft for transportation on the day of the attack. Instead, the convoy was allowed to take the vulnerable road route, ignoring the intelligence inputs.
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In the aftermath of the attack, the National Investigation Agency (NIA) launched a thorough probe, deploying a 12-member team to work in tandem with the Jammu and Kashmir Police. The investigation aims to uncover the truth behind the attack and identify those responsible.
In response to the attack, India launched a pre-dawn airstrike on February 26, 2019, targeting a Jaish-e-Mohammed training facility in Balakot, Pakistan.
The operation, codenamed “Operation Bandar,” was carried out by the Indian Air Force and marked a historic moment in India’s counter-terrorism approach.
The Indian government also took steps to strengthen security measures, including increasing the number of security forces deployed in sensitive regions like Jammu and Kashmir.
Every year on February 14, India commemorates the Pulwama attack. On this day, candlelight marches are held across India to pay tribute to the 40 CRPF soldiers who lost their lives.
In the years since, the Pulwama attack has been remembered through various tributes, including movies made to honour the martyrs. Films like Operation Valentine, Fighter and Web series like “Ranneeti: Balakot & Beyond serve as a reminder of the sacrifices made by India’s brave soldiers.
