Kashmir is a disputed territory, claimed both by India and Pakistan with both countries administering part of the territory.[10] Pakistan has sought to gain control of Indian-administered Kashmir.[11][12] An insurgency began to proliferate in Indian-administered Kashmir in the late 1980s. Pakistan provided the insurgency with material support.[13][14] Since 1989, about 70,000 people have been killed in the uprising and the Indian crackdown.[10][15] According toTime,unrest in Kashmir grew in 2016 after India killed a popular militant leader,Burhan Wani.[10] A rising number of young locals fromIndian administered Kashmir have joined the militancy.[16][17] Many sources state that the majority of militants in Kashmir are now local, not foreign.[18][19][20] In 2018 alone, the death toll included 260 militants, 160 civilians and 150 government forces.[15]
Since 2015, Pakistan-based militants in Kashmir have increasingly taken to high-profile suicide attacks against the Indian security forces. In July 2015, three gunmenattacked a bus, and police station inGurdaspur. Early in 2016, four to six gunmenattacked thePathankot Air Force Station.[21] In February and June 2016, the militantskilled nine and eight security personnel respectively inPampore. In September 2016, four assailantsattacked anIndian Army brigade headquarters inUri killing 19 soldiers. On 31 December 2017, the Commando Training Centre at Lethpora was also attacked by militants killing five security personnel. These attacks took place in the vicinity of theJammu–Srinagar National Highway.[8]
On 14 February 2019, a convoy of 78 vehicles transporting more than 2,500Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF)[a] personnel fromJammu toSrinagar was travelling onNational Highway 44. The convoy had left Jammu around 03:30IST and was carrying a large number of personnel due to the highway having been shut down for two days prior. The convoy was scheduled to reach its destination before sunset.[8]
AtLethpora nearAwantipora, around 15:15 IST,[27] a bus carrying security personnel was rammed by a car carrying explosives. It caused a blast which killed 40 CRPF personnel of the 76th Battalion and injured many others.[1] The injured were moved to the army base hospital in Srinagar.[5]
Pakistan-based militant groupJaish-e-Mohammed claimed responsibility for the attack. They also released a video of the assailant Adil Ahmad Dar, 22, fromKakapora who had joined the group a year earlier.[8][28][29] Dar's family had last seen him in March 2018, when he left his house on a bicycle one day and never returned.[30] Pakistan denied any involvement, though Jaish-e-Mohammed's leader,Masood Azhar, is known to operate in the country.[31][32]
It was the deadliest terror attack on India's state security personnel in Kashmir since 1989.[27]
Perpetrator
The perpetrator was identified as Adil Ahmad Dar, a 22-year old fromKakapora.[28] According to Dar's parents, Dar became radicalized after he was beaten by Indian police.[33][34] Between September 2016 and March 2018, Adil Dar was reportedly arrested six times by Indian authorities.[35][36] However, each time he was released without any charges.[35]
The Pakistani Chief of the Air Staff admitted to playing a role in the Pulwama attacks after initially denying any involvement.[37][38][39]
Ignoring Intelligence inputs
Central Government had received at least 11 intelligence inputs, including from theIntelligence Bureau and Kashmir Police, days before the attack. Two days before the attack,Jaish-e-Mohammed uploaded a video of a suicide attack in Afghanistan and hinted at launching a similar attack in Kashmir. The Home Ministry refused to provide CRPF aircraft on the day of the attack and instead let the convoy take the road route, ignoring intelligence inputs.[40][41]
Initial investigations suggested the car was carrying more than 300 kilograms (660 lb) of explosives,[8] including 80 kilograms (180 lb) ofRDX, ahigh explosive,[42] andammonium nitrate.[43]Lt Gen Hooda said that the explosives might have been stolen from a construction site. He initially said that it was not possible that they were smuggled from across the border, but later said that he could not rule it out.[44]
National Investigation Agency was able to establish and confirm the identity of suicide bomber as DNA samples from "meagre fragments of the car" used in suicide attack matched with Adil Ahmad Dar's father. However, even after a year of investigation, NIA was unable to trace the source of explosives.[45] The charge-sheet filed by the NIA in August 2020 named 19 accused.[4]
State funerals of security personnel killed in the attack were held in their respective native places.[46][47] Thegovernment of Punjab announcedex gratia compensation of₹12 lakh (US$14,000) each to the families of the killed security personnel from the state and a government job to thenext of kin.[24] India revoked Pakistan'smost favoured nation status.[5] The customs duty on all Pakistani goods imported to India were raised to 200%.[48] The Indian government urged theFinancial Action Task Force (FATF) to add Pakistan to itsblacklist for failing to comply withcounterterrorism measures. The FATF decided to keep it on the 'grey list' and gave Pakistan time till October 2019 to comply with the 27 conditions it had laid down in June 2018, when it was put on the 'grey list', with an attending caveat. If Pakistan failed to comply, it would be added to the blacklist.[49] On 17 February, the state administration revoked security provisions for separatist leaders.[50]
Protests,bandhs and candle light marches were held across India.[51][52][53] There were violent protests in Jammu resulting in a curfew being imposed starting 14 February. The Indian community in the United Kingdom held protests outside the Pakistan High Commission inLondon.[54] A delegation of Indian doctors cancelled their visit to Pakistan for the 13th Association of Anaesthesiologists Congress, organised by theSouth Asian Association for Regional Cooperation, inLahore on 7 March.[54] Indian broadcasterDSport said it would no longer broadcast Pakistan Super League cricket matches.[55] TheAll Indian Cine Workers Association announced a ban on Pakistani actors and artists in theIndian film industry, and stated that strong action would be taken on any organisation violating it.[56] TheIndian Film and Television Directors Association also announced a ban on Pakistani artists in films and music produced in India; the president of the organisation threatened to "vandalise" thesets of any Indian film production with Pakistani artists.[57]
On 20 February 2019, Pakistani prisoner Shakarullah, who was serving a life term in India's Jaipur Central Jail underUnlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, was stabbed and beaten to death by four other inmates.[58][59] India claimed that Shakarullah was allegedly killed in a brawl among the inmates over television volume. Pakistan claimed that he was killed in retaliation of the Pulwama incident.[60]
With reference to the Pulwama terror attack, the FATF has expressed worry over the increasing abuse ofe-commerce platforms by terrorist groups.Aluminum powder, an important ingredient used to increase the explosive force ofimprovised explosive devices (IEDs), was sourced throughAmazon, according to the July 2025 FATF Report titled Comprehensive Update on Terrorist Financing Risks.[61][62]
Gunfight with the militants
Following intelligence inputs, in the early morning hours of 18 February, a joint team comprising 55Rashtriya Rifles, CRPF andSpecial Operations Group of India killed two terrorists and two supporters in an anti-terrorism encounter operation in the ensuing manhunt for the perpetrators inPulwama. One of them, Abdul Rasheed Ghazi alias Kamran, was identified as a Pakistani national and was considered the mastermind of the attack and a commander of the terrorist group Jaish-e-Muhammad (JeM).[63] In addition, local JeM recruit Hilal Ahmed, along with two sympathisers who housed Ghazi and Ahmed to evade capture, were also shot dead in the encounter. Four security personnel were killed in the gunfight.[64][65][66]
Anti-Kashmiri backlash
Kashmiri students living in other parts of India faced a backlash after the attack, including violence and harassment,[67] and eviction from their homes.[68] In response, many Indians offered to house Kashmiris who may have been evicted.[69]
It was reported that number of Kashmiris fleeing from the rest of India had reached "hundreds".[70] Jammu and Kashmir Students Organisation reported that 97% of Kashmiri students inDehradun had been evacuated.[71] Two Indian colleges in Dehradun announced that no new Kashmiri students will receive admission.[72] One of those colleges, Alpine College, suspended its dean, who is a Kashmiri, after some groups called for him to be fired.[73]
Kashmir police chief Dilbagh Singh said they had asked affected states to protect students."[76] Former Jammu and Kashmir chief ministerOmar Abdullah met withRajnath Singh seeking assistance.[77]
On 26 February, twelveMirage 2000 jets of theIndian Air Force crossed theLine of Control and dropped bombs into Balakot, Pakistan.[78][79] India claimed that it attacked a Jaish-e-Mohammed training camp and killed a large number of terrorists, reported to be between 300 and 350.[78][80] Pakistan claimed that they quickly scrambled jets to intercept the IAF jets, who dropped their payloads to quickly return over the Line of Control.[81]
In an ensuing dogfight between Indian and Pakistani jets, an IndianMiG-21 was shot down over Pakistan andits pilot captured. Pakistan released the pilot on 1 March.[82]
Pakistan arrests suspects
On 5 March, Pakistan arrested 44 members of various groups, including the Jaish-e-Muhammad. Some of those arrested had been named by India in a dossier it gave to Pakistan in the aftermath of the Pulwama attack.[83] Pakistan said those arrested will be held for at least 14 days, and if India provided further evidence they would be prosecuted.[84] Among those arrested were relatives of JeM leaderMasood Azhar, including his son Hamad Azhar and his brother Abdul Rauf.[83]
Arrests and operations in India
By August 2021, Indian security forces had killed seven of the accused, including Saifullah, while seven had been arrested.[2]
Reactions
India and Pakistan
IndianPrime MinisterNarendra Modi condemned the attack and expressed solidarity with the victims and their families. Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh assured that a strong response will be given to the terror attack.[8] India blamed Pakistan for the attack.[85]BBC News has said that the involvement of the Jaish-e-Mohammed in the bombing "directly links" Pakistan to the attack, while also pointing out that Jaish-e-Mohammed had attacked Pakistani military targets in the past.[86] It is widely accepted among security analysts that Jaish-e-Mohammed is the creation of Pakistan'sInter-Services Intelligence.[87] Pakistan banned the group in 2002,[88] but it has resurfaced under different names and retains ISI's support.[89][90][91]The New York Times questioned the nature of the link to Pakistan, pointing out that the bomber came from Indian-administered Kashmir and the explosives may also have been locally procured.[92]
The Indian Finance MinisterArun Jaitley has said that India would completely isolate Pakistan in the diplomatic community.[48]
Pakistan denied the allegation of a link to the attack,[93] and Pakistani foreign ministerShah Mahmood Qureshi condemned the bombing.[9]Fawad Chaudhry, Pakistan's federal information minister, said that Pakistan was taking action against Jaish-e-Muhammad and that Pakistan would be able to assist India in taking action against terrorist groups.[94]The Nation, a Pakistani newspaper, called the assailant a "freedom fighter" who eliminated members of an "occupying force".[95][96] Pakistan and India both recalled their ambassadors for "consultations" in a tit-for-tat move.[97]
On 19 February 2019, Pakistani Prime MinisterImran Khan said that providing safe haven to terrorists was not in Pakistan's interest.[98] He asked for proof of Pakistani involvement and warned India that any military response would be met with retaliation. Indian Ministry of External Affairs responded by criticising him for not condemning the attack and not offering any condolences for the victims. It said that claims by Adil Ahmad Dar and Pakistan-based Jaish-e-Mohammed was sufficient proof. It said that promise of investigation was unconvincing due to a lack of progress inMumbai andPathankot attack investigations.[99][100] In response to Indian criticism, the newspaperDawn pointed out that Pakistani Foreign Minister Qureshi had expressed sympathies with the victims soon after the attack.[101]
TheIndian cricket team paid tribute to the 40 soldiers killed in the Pulwama attack by wearing the camouflage caps instead of the usual sky blue team India cap, during the thirdOne Day International match with Australia inRanchi.[133] Pakistan objected to this gesture and Pakistani Information MinisterFawad Chaudhry and Foreign MinisterShah Mahmood Qureshi called theInternational Cricket Council (ICC) to ban the Indian team for allegedly mixing cricket with politics.[134] After a complaint from thePakistani Cricket Board,[135] The ICC clarified that the Indian team had requested and was granted permission to wear the camouflage caps as a part of fundraising drive and to pay tribute to the soldiers killed in the attack.[133]
^Dutt, Barkha (14 February 2019)."Everything will change after the Kashmir attack".The Washington Post.Archived from the original on 17 February 2019. Retrieved17 February 2019.Two decades later, Masood Azhar has not been brought to justice. Instead, he hides in plain sight in Bahawalpur, in Pakistan's Punjab Province, and is now allowed to address huge Islamist militant gatherings over audio speakers in other parts of Pakistan.
^Gregory 2007, pp. 1022–1023: "However, most of those arrested were subsequently released without any charges and the separatist/terrorist groups, such as the ISI creations Lashkar-e-Toiba and Jaish-e-Mohammed, have been permitted to re-form, some of them under different names."
^Slater, Joana; Masih, Niha (15 February 2019)."Modi vows action after dozens die in deadliest attack in Indian-held Kashmir in 3 decades".The Washington Post.Archived from the original on 17 February 2019. Retrieved16 February 2019.In Pakistan, Thursday's attack was viewed in starkly different terms. The Nation, an English-language daily newspaper, trumpeted the news on its front page on Friday with a headline saying a "freedom fighter" attack had killed dozens of members of the "occupying force" in Kashmir.
Kapur, S. Paul (2011). "Peace and Conflict in the Indo-Pakistani Rivalry: Domestic and Strategic Causes". In Thompson, William R.; Ganguly, Sumit (eds.).Asian Rivalries: Conflict, Escalation, and Limitations on Two-level Games. Stanford, California: Stanford University Press.ISBN978-0-8047-7595-3.
