Majid Jahangir & Suhail A Shah
Tribune News Service

Lethpora (Pulwama), Feb 14

In the deadliest attack of the last 30 years of militancy in Kashmir, a suicide bomber rammed his vehicle into a Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) bus at 3.15 pm today, killing 42 jawans and injuring a dozen others along the Srinagar-Jammu National Highway in Pulwama. However, the CRPF officials have confirmed 37 deaths so far.

The lone Kashmiri suicide bomber of Jaish-e-Mohammad drove a vehicle laden with 250-kg explosives into a CRPF convoy which was on way from Jammu to Srinagar.

“A CRPF bus and another vehicle bore the brunt of the blast at Latoomode in Lethpora,” a police officer said.

Such was the impact of the blast that body parts were scattered at least 500 metres from the site of the blast.

Due to the blast, glass panes of several houses in the neighbouring areas were smashed. Other vehicles which were part of the convoy also suffered huge damage. Immediately after the  blast, the CRPF men opened fire. At least 78 vehicles of the CRPF were part of the convoy.

“It was gut wrenching and gruesome. As guns stopped roaring and we peeked outside, we could see body parts strewn around, mixed with the damaged parts of the vehicle,” Abdul Karim, a shopkeeper, said.

Pakistan-based militant group JeM, formed in 2000 by Masood Azhar, claimed responsibility for the attack.

The attack took place despite a Road Opening Party (ROP) being in place. “There was the ROP…  the convoy was coming and there was an explosion. The nature of the explosion, how did it happen are all subjects of investigation,” IGP, Kashmir, SP Pani, said.

A medico said there was utter chaos after the blast.

Today’s attack is the deadliest in the history of Kashmir insurgency till date.

On September 18, 2016,  19 soldiers were killed when a group of fidayeen stormed an Army base close to the LoC in Uri in north Kashmir.

HM visit today; NSG, NIA on way

• HM Rajnath Singh will hold review meetings with security officials in Srinagar on Friday
• NSG commandos and NIA sleuths are being sent to the state to join probe
• A 78-vehicle convoy with 2,500 CRPF men had left Jammu for Srinagar around 3.30 am
• An explosive-laden SUV rammed into one of the buses triggering a blast at 3.15 pm at Lethpora
• Gunshots were heard after the explosion as security forces blocked road, diverted traffic

Major terror strikes

• June 25, 2016: Eight CRPF jawans killed as bus targeted at Pampore on the Srinagar-Jammu NH
• June 3: Two CRPF men killed in attack on bus at Pampore. Three soldiers die in subsequent encounter
• June 24, 2013: Eight soldiers killed after an Army bus ambushed at Hyderpora in Srinagar
• July 19, 2008: Ten soldiers killed in an IED blast at Narbal on Srinagar-Baramulla highway
• July 20, 2005: Three jawans killed when a car bomber rams into their vehicle
• June 24: Nine Army men killed in a car bomb blast on Srinagar outskirts
• April 19, 2000: Two soldiers died in the first ‘human bomb’ attack in the Valley when Army headquarters were targeted at Badamibagh in Srinagar