Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh on Thursday assured the people of the country that the terror attack on a CRPF bus in Jammu and Kashmir, carried out by Pakistan-based Jaish-e-Mohammed, will be avenged.
In a statement, he said the central government is determined to foil the designs of those who want to disrupt peace through such a terror attack "sponsored and sheltered by Pakistan".
"Jaish-e-Mohammed has carried out this terror attack. We assure the country that we will undertake whatever it takes to avenge this," he said.
Singh will be visiting Srinagar Friday to take stock of the situation in the wake of the attack on the convoy that killed at least 40 CRPF personnel.
Meanwhile, experts of the anti-terror commando force National Security Guard (NSG) and investigators of the National Investigation Agency (NIA) are being sent to Jammu and Kashmir to join the probe into the terror attack in Pulwama in which at least 40 CRPF personnel were killed, officials said Thursday.
The decision was taken in view of the high number of casualties in the worst terror strike in the state since the Uri attack in 2016.
An NIA team with forensic experts is being sent to Srinagar to assist Jammu and Kashmir Police in forensic evaluation of the scene of crime, a home ministry official said.
Explosive specialists of the Black Cat commando force NSG will also join in the investigation into the attack, another official said.
The Union Home Minister will also hold review meetings with senior security and police officials to make ground level assessment and review further operational actions.
Singh has cancelled all his political engagements in Bihar Friday.
He called up Governor Satya Pal Malik, who apprised him about the prevailing situation in the state. Singh also spoke to National Security Advisor Ajit Doval, Union Home Secretary Rajiv Gauba, Director of Intelligence Bureau Rajiv Jain and Director General of CRPF R R Bhatnagar and gave them necessary instructions, a home ministry official said.
In a tweet, Singh said, "Today's dastardly attack on CRPF in Pulwama (J&K) is extremely painful and disturbing. I bow to each and every CRPF jawan who has sacrificed his life in service to the nation. I pray for the speedy recovery of the injured."
The home ministry is also closely monitoring the situation in Jammu and Kashmir, which is currently under the President's rule.
The Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS), headed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi may meet on Friday to take stock of the situation in Jammu and Kashmir.
The CCS, the country's top decision making body on strategic affairs, comprises the Home Minister, the Defence Minister, the External Affairs Minister and the Finance Minister besides the Prime Minister.
Meanwhile, in the wake of the Pulwama attack, mobile internet services have been snapped in South Kashmir and the speed has been pulled down to 2G in Srinagar district.
At least 40 CRPF personnel were killed in Pulwama when a Jaish-e-Mohammed terrorist rammed an explosives-laden vehicle into the bus they were travelling in.
This is one of the worst terror strikes in the state since the Uri attack in 2016.
At least 40 CRPF personnel were killed in Pulwama district when a Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) terrorist rammed an explosives-laden vehicle into their bus.
(With agency inputs)
