On a winding stretch of the Jammu-Srinagar highway, a convoy of 78 vehicles carrying 2,500 CRPF personnel was making its way to Srinagar on February 14, 2019. Among them were 40 bravehearts of the 76th CRPF Battalion. Unnoticed by the troops, a Mahindra Scorpio packed with 200 kg of explosives, driven by 22-year-old Adil Ahmad Dar — a suicide bomber from the Pakistan-based Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) — rammed into one of the buses. The explosion killed 40 soldiers, marking one of the deadliest attacks on Indian security forces in decades.
This was not the first time that India faced such brutality. The 2016 Pathankot airbase attack, the 2018 Uri terror strike and the horrific 26/11 Mumbai attacks were all grim reminders of Pakistan’s proxy war against India.
However, Pulwama became the inflection point that tested India’s strategic patience. Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s statement after the attack reflected the nation’s resolve: “Security forces have been given full freedom to choose the time and place for the future course of action. Terrorists have made a big mistake and will pay a heavy price.”
Read the full article : Originally published at : https://www.tribuneindia.com/news/comment/pulwama-marked-a-shift-in-war-against-terror/
