Pulwama attack: Indian-Americans across US mourn soldiers’ death

Participants urged the Indian government “to take steps to severely punish” the JeM and other terrorist organisations

Current Affairs: Hundreds of Indian-Americans gathered in various US cities to mourn the killing of over 40 Indian soldiers in one of the worst terror attacks in Jammu and Kashmir’s Pulwama district.

At least 41 Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) personnel were killed on February 14 in a suicide attack claimed by Pakistan-based Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM) terror group. The attack has heightened bilateral tensions with both New Delhi and Islamabad calling back their envoys.

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Expressing their outrage, hundreds of Indian-Americans gathered at the 9/11 memorial on the outskirts of Chicago on Sunday and urged that all nations need to stand together with India and the US in their fight against those carrying out such “heinous crimes”.

In a joint resolution read out on the occasion, the participants held peaceful candle light protest in Naperville, Illinois and called upon Pakistan to “end immediately” support to all terrorist groups operating from its soil.”We mourn the loss of 40 Indian security personnel at the hands of terrorists. This was an act of terror, an act of pure evil. We must be firm in the face of evil and terror,” said Indian-American Congressman Raja Krishnamoorthi in his address…

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Kashmiri students held on sedition charges for celebrating Pulwama attack

The students were booked under IPC sections 124A (sedition), 153A (promoting enmity) and relevant provisions of the Information Technology (IT) Act

Latest News: Four female paramedical students of Kashmiri-origin have been slapped with sedition charges after being suspended from a private institute here for allegedly celebrating the Pulwama terror attack by posting “anti-national” messages on an instant messaging app, officials said Sunday.

The second-year students of the National Institute of Medical Science (NIMS), Talveen Manzoor, Iqra, Zohra Nazir and Uzma Nazir, were suspended for posting on WhatsApp a picture in which they were purportedly seen celebrating the terrorist attack in Kashmir that claimed the lives of 40 CRPF personnel. The picture soon went viral, prompting the university administration to take action.

Also Read: Pulwama terror attack: Like you, fire raging in my heart too, says PM Modi

In the suspension order, the NIMS registrar said,”You have posted an anti-national message on your WhatsApp for celebrating killing of Pulwama terrorist attack martyrs. The university will not tolerate and strictly condemns such activities. The act is grave and serious in nature.”

Later, a case was registered against the four students following a complaint by the university administration, a police official said. The students were booked under IPC sections 124A (sedition), 153A (promoting enmity) and relevant provisions of the Information Technology (IT) Act. Senior officials are investigating the matter and appropriate action will be taken thereafter, SP (Rural) Harendra Kumar said. The Aligarh Muslim University has also suspended an undergraduate Kashmiri student for his alleged objectionable tweet in connection with the Pulwama attack.

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Pulwama terror attack: Like you, fire raging in my heart too, says PM Modi

=The security cover of six separatist leaders, including Mirwaiz Umar Farooq, was withdrawn on Sunday

Current Affairs: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday said he shared the grief and outrage with the people of the nation in the wake of the terrorist attack in Jammu and Kashmir which claimed the lives of 40 CRPF personnel. The prime minister, who was in this north Bihar town to launch a slew of projects, began his speech with a few lines in the local dialect Angika and paid tributes to two jawans from the state who died in the Pulwama attack.

“I salute and pay my tributes to Sanjay Kumar Sinha and Ratan Kumar Thakur. To the people who have gathered here, I would like to say the fire that is raging in your bosoms, is in my heart too,” Modi said, evoking a thunderous response from the crowds.

Also Read: Pulwama encounter : 3 soldiers, 1 Major killed; 3 terrorists trapped

J&K withdraws security cover of six separatist leaders: The security cover of six separatist leaders, including Mirwaiz Umar Farooq, was withdrawn Sunday, a decision that comes in the aftermath of the Pulwama terror strike in which 40 CRPF personnel were killed, officials said. Besides Mirwaiz, the security cover of Abdul Gani Bhat, Bilal Lone, Hashim Qureshi, Fazal Haq Qureshi and Shabir Shah has been withdrawn, they said. While there was no categorisation of security for these leaders, the state government in consultation with the Centre had provided them ad hoc security, keeping in mind the threat to their lives from some militant groups.

Militants of Hizbul Mujahideen had killed Umar’s father, Mirwaiz Farooq, in 1990 and Abdul Gani Lone in 2002. According to the order, all security and vehicles provided to the separatists will stand withdrawn by Sunday evening. No security forces or cover will be provided, under any pretext, to them or any other separatists.

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