Remembering Martyrs on Four Years of Pulwama Terror Attack

Himadri Kalita

As the world celebrates February 14 as Valentine’s Day, India observes the day as Black Day since 2019 as Army jawans were martyred in terrorist attack in Jammu and Kashmir’s Pulwama.

On this day in the year 2019, as many as 40 Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) were martyred in one of the deadliest terror attacks that took place in Pulwama.

A Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM) suicide bomber rammed an explosive-laden vehicle into a CRPF convoy travelling from Jammu to Srinagar killing 40 jawans.

Among the 40 jawans, one martyr, Maneshwar Basumatary of 98^th Battalion of CRPF, was a resident of Assam’s Tamulpur.

The deadliest attack also injured several jawans where one from Assam’s Bongaigaon, Pabitra Barman, faced minor injuries among others.

The incident happened during the end of Valentine’s Day which is dedicated for love. While the world was celebrating the day with their beloved, India was weeping at the loss of martyrs.

Following the incident, nations across the world, including China, United States of America, Russia, have condemned the terror attack on India.

Although, the end of Valentine’s Day brought tears of sorrow in the eyes of every Indian, the sunrise of February 26, 2019 had brought tears of joy and pride as India in defence has carried out a surgical strike in a major terrorist camp of JEM.

During the wee hours of February 26 at 3.30 am, a squadron of Mirage 2000 Indian Fighter jets had struck a major terrorist camp across the Line of Control (LoC) and destroyed it completely.

As today marks the fourth year of Pulwama attack, Prime Minister Narendra Modi paid tribute to the martyrs in the attack.

Taking to Twitter he wrote, “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.”

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

Home Minister Amit Shah also paid homage, “I pay homage to the brave soldiers who laid down their lives in the ghastly terror attack in Pulwama on this day in the year 2019. The nation can never forget their sacrifice. Their valour and indomitable courage will always remain an inspiration in the fight against terrorism.”

Meanwhile, Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma joined the nation to pay tribute to the martryrs, “I join the nation in paying solemn tribute to the 40 bravehearts of our armed forces who lost their lives due to the cowardly terror attack on them in Pulwama on this day in 2019. Their sacrifice for the motherland has strengthened our commitment to eliminate terrorism.”

I join the nation in paying solemn tribute to the 40 bravehearts of our armed forces who lost their lives due to the cowardly terror attack on them in Pulwama on this day in 2019.

Their sacrifice for the motherland has strengthened our commitment to eliminate terrorism.

— Himanta Biswa Sarma (@himantabiswa) February 14, 2023

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