Awantipora terror attack: Here is all we know so far

Image Courtesy: IANS

- At least 30 CRPF personnel lost their lives and several others got injured in a terror attack in Jammu and Kashmir’s Pulwama district.

- Pakistan-based terror group Jaish-e-Mohammed sent a text message to Kashmiri News Agency GNS claiming the responsibility for the cowardly terror attack.

- The 55-seater bus carrying 39 CRPF personnel was blown up by an improvised explosive device or IED explosion on Srinagar-Jammu highway in
Awantipora area of the district.

- Local police said that the blast reportedly took place around 3:40 PM.

-As per reports, nearly 2,500 jawans were part of the CRPF convoy which was moving from Jammu to Srinagar.

- The driver of the explosive-laden car was identified as Adil Ahmad from Kakapora in Pulwama. He had joined the Jaish-Mohammed in 2018.

- News agency ANI reported that gunshots were reported from the area after the blast took place. Army has cordoned off the area and a massive search operation is underway.

- The magnitude of the explosion was so strong that it reduced the bus to a mangled heap of iron. Body parts were strewn around the area.

- There were 70 vehicles in the convoy and the terrorists targeted one of the vehicles.

- Prime Minister Narendra Modi has strongly condenmed the incident and said that the sacrifices of the jawans will not go in vain.

- Home Minister Rajnath Singh will visit Jammu and Kashmir on Friday in view of the terror attack in Pulwama’s Awantipora area.

- This attack is believed to be the worst attack on security personnel after the infamous Uri attack which took place in September 2016.