In a startling revelation, ABP News has reported that the Pulwama attack on February 14, which consumed the lives of more than 40 CRPF personnel was initially planned to be executed on the death anniversary of Afzal Guru that falls on February 9.
It was further said that the attack was perpetrated to avenge the death of Jaish-e-Mohammed chief Masood Azhar’s nephew Usman Haider.
As per the report, it is believed that JeM had earlier planned to execute the operation on February 9 which is terrorist Afzal Guru’s death anniversary, or February 11, which is the death anniversary of Maqbool Bhat, the founder of the militant organisation National Liberation Front, but due to heavy snowfall the highway was shut and the attack could not be carried out.
It’s being said that the suicide bomber, Adil Ahmad Dar, who effectuated the car bombing, had gone to the Srinagar-Jammu highway on February 2,6, and 8 as well. Full preparations were in place to execute an attack on February 9, but snowfall prevented it.
There is information that the terrorist group had at least thrice, attempted suicide bombing in the army camp but did not succeed. Eventually, they planned to attack by ramming an explosive-laden vehicle, which has lately become, the freshly adopted methodology for terror attacks in Jammu Kashmir.
The report further states that the terrorist group started outlining the attack soon after Jaish commander, Abdul Ghazi Rasheed, reached Kashmir. He is still suspected to be hidden in the Pulwama’s Tral region.
Last year on October 31, Jaish chief Masood Azhar’s nephew Usman Haider was killed in an encounter by security forces. According to reports, a group of terrorists were tracked to a residential house in Chankitar area of Tral. The terrorists reportedly opened fire at the security forces, leading to an encounter of two terrorists out of whom one was reportedly the second nephew of Azhar.
It is believed that the dastardly Pulwama attack on February 14, was planned to avenge his death.
In a gruesome terrorist attack on the CRPF soldiers in Awantipora in Pulwama district in Jammu and Kashmir on February 14, 44 CRPF personnel lost their lives. A high-intensity IED blast targeted a convoy of 70 vehicles of the CRPF carrying 2500 personnel which was on its way from Jammu to Srinagar.