Today, February 14, is commemorated as a black day in Indian history. On this day in 2019, one of the deadliest terrorist attacks in the nation’s history occurred. 40 courageous soldiers were tragically killed when a suicide bomber targeted a Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) convoy in Pulwama, Jammu & Kashmir.
The attack was planned by the Pakistan-based terrorist organization Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM).
It also led to a sharp increase in tensions between India and Pakistan.
Today, as we mark the 6th anniversary of the horrific terror attack, here’s a detailed look at what happened and how India responded.
The Pulwama Attack
On the afternoon of February 14, 2019, a convoy of the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) travelling down the Jammu-Srinagar National Highway with 78 vehicles and more than 2,5000 parliamentary men.
Suddenly, 22-year-old Adil Ahmad Dar, a suicide bomber, struck one of the buses with a car loaded with explosives, causing a huge explosion.
It was one of the bloodiest attacks on Indian security forces in recent history, with 40 members of the CRPF regrettably lost their life.
The United Nations, the United States, Russia, Australia, France, Saudi Arabia, Sri Lanka, and Bangladesh, among the nations, denounced the heinous act of terrorism and offered India their support in fight
The attack was planned by the Pakistani terrorist organization Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM). Terrorists from Pakistan infiltrated India as part of a two-year-long operation.
The bomber, Adil Ahmad Dar, was a native Kashmiri jihadist from Kakapora, in the Pulwama district of South Kashmir. He was a member of JeM.
The primary conspirator, Mohammad Umar Farooq, had trained for explosives in Afghanistan before surreptitiously entering India to execute the Pulwama terror assault.
For the attack, a Maruti CEO car was converted in January 2019 and equipped with roughly 200 kg of high-end explosives, including as RDX, calcium ammonium nitrate, aluminum powder, and gelatin sticks.
Ammar Alvi, Rouf Asgar, and Masood Azhar were among the JeM commanders who organized and directed the terrorist operation.
India begins the Balakot operation
India responded to the Pulwama assault with forceful military action.
The largest JeM terror training center in Balakot, Pakistan’s Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, was the target of a predawn bombing by the Indian Air Force (IAF) twelve days later on February 26, 2019.
Several Mirage 200 fighter jets carried out the airstrike, which damaged JeM’s Balakot training facility, which was run by Maulana Yousuf Azhar, Masood Azhar’s brother-in-law.
Nearly 300 terrorists were killed when more than 1,000 kilograms of bombs were launched on JeM locations, according to government sources.
The very successful operation, code-named Operation Bandar, marked the first time the IAF had carried out an airstrike that penetrated 65 kilometers into Pakistani territory and breached the Line of Control since the war of 1971.
India’s airstrikes stopped JeM’s other planned attacks, according to intelligence reports.
The dogfights
Tensions between India and Pakistan escalated following India’s military reaction, and on February 27, 2019, IAF and Pakistan Air Force jets engaged in dogfights.
The Indian Air Force’s MiG-21 Bison successfully shot down a Pakistani F-16, but the MiG-21 crashed across the border.
Wing Commander Abhinandan Varthaman was taken prisoner by the Pakistani military.
Despite everything, Abhinandan maintained a remarkable level of composure. In response to diplomatic pressure from India, he was freed on March 1, 2019.
Because of his courage, he was awarded the Vir Chakra.
Remembering the Pulwama Martyrs
Today, 40 CRPF jawans who lost their lives in the incident are reverently honored.
On Friday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi paid tribute to the CRPF members who died in the Pulwama tragedy.
In a post on X, he wrote, “Homage to the courageous heroes we lost in Pulwama in 2019. The coming generation will never forget their sacrifice and their unwavering dedication to the nation”.
Amit Shah, the Union Home Minister, also paid respects to the 40 CRPF members who lost their lives in the assault.
He stated, “On behalf of a grateful nation, I pay my heartfelt tribute to the soldiers who were martyred in the cowardly terror attack in Pulwama on this day in 2019”.
He continued by saying that the world has unified against terrorism, which is humanity’s greatest adversary, and that the Modi administration is committed to eradicating terrorists by enforcing a “zero-tolerance” policy against them.
The CRPF has experienced significant changes in the last five years.
A senior official told Rising Kashmir, “The equipment at our disposal has significantly improved, and our preparedness ensures that terrorists face a strong response. Army convoy movements are now monitored through drone surveillance, and personnel are being transported in bulletproof bunkers to enhance safety”.
In addition, he said that new SOPs have been implemented to prevent such attacks and that Road Opening Parties (ROP) are receiving specialized training in line with contemporary security procedures.
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