In the attack that took place around 3pm, a Mahindra Scorpio, loaded with nearly 250kg of explosives rammed into a convoy of the security forces, leaving as many as 43 CRPF jawans dead. The Jaish-e-Mohammad has claimed responsibility for the attack. (ANI)
Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who referred to the Pulwama attack that left 43 CRPF jawans dead as a “despicable attack”, took stock of the situation in Jammu and Kashmir in a conversation with both the home minsiter Rajnath Singh and the national security advisor Ajit Doval.
A Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS) meeting has been called at 9:15 am tomorrow, news agency ANI reported sources as saying.
Minutes later, the home minister’s public rally in Bihar was cancelled, instead he will now be heading to Srinagar tomorrow morning along with the Director General Rajeev Rai Bhatnagar.
In Jammu and Kashmir, Rajnath is expected to take stock of the situation as well as meet some of the injured soldiers at the hospital. Soon after his conversation with the PM and NSA, Rajnath Singh spoke to the Jammu and Kashmir governor Satyapal Malik regarding the attack.
Rajnath has also spoken to Union Home Secretary Rajiv Gauba, who had just reached Thimpu in Bhutan and has summoned him back to Delhi. A 12-member team of the National Investigative Agency (NIA), led by an IG-rank officer will also go to the blast site in Pulwama.
“The attack was carried out by Pakistan-backed Jaish-e-Mohammed. A strong reply will be given and I assure the people of the country this. The country pays tribute to the brave jawans who were martyred,” Home minister Rajnath Singh said.
Meanwhile, NSA Ajit Doval, who is closely associated with the surgical strikes, is monitoring the situation and is in touch with senior CRPF officers briefing him on the situation on a minute-to-minute basis.