Odia Jawan Among 44 Martyred In Pulwama Terror Attack

Bhubaneswar: A pall of gloom descended on Shikhar village in Odisha’s Jagatsinghpur district on Thursday soon after the news of the death of head constable Prasanna Kumar Sahu spread.

The jawan of 61 Battalions of the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) was martyred in the terrorist attack on a CRPF convoy at Awantipora in Pulwama district.

His mother and wife were inconsolable hearing the sad news.

At least 44 CRPF personnel were killed and dozens injured on Thursday evening when a suicide bomber rammed his SUV packed with explosives into a CRPF bus on the Srinagar-Jammu highway.

Terrorist group Jaish-e-Mohammed has claimed responsibility for the attack. It also released a video clip of the suicide bomber, identified as Adil Ahmad Dar, which it claimed was shot before the young man carried out the attack.

Its a “despicable” act, Prime Minister Narendra Modi tweeted in his reaction, adding he spoke to Home Minister Rajnath Singh and top officials in wake of the attack. Rajnath has cancelled his rally scheduled in Patna tomorrow.

“Attack on CRPF personnel in Pulwama is despicable. I strongly condemn this dastardly attack. The sacrifices of our brave security personnel shall not go in vain. The entire nation stands shoulder to shoulder with the families of the brave martyrs. May the injured recover quickly,” Prime Minister Narendra Modi tweeted.

Governor Ganeshi Lal and Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik have also condemned the attack and called it a dastardly act of cowardice.