Agitated over deadly Pulwama terror attack, Youth Cong workers burn Pakistan's flag

Agitated over the debilitating terror attack in Pulwama in Jammu and Kashmir, Youth Congress workers here on Friday burnt the flag of Pakistan, while protesting outside Pakistan High Commission located in the city state's Diplomatic Enclave.

They also shouted slogans against Islamabad for patronising terror outfits like Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM), which has taken the responsibility for carrying out this year's deadliest terror attack in the Valley.

"Pakistan must be made to pay a heavy price for their deadly act. The Central government should step in and take strict action against all Pakistan-backed and based terrorist groups, which are killing our people and soldiers," said an agitating Youth Congress worker.

"The government of the day at the Centre must avenge the martyrdom of our nearly 40 CRPF jawans no matter what are the consequences. We need to ensure that incidents like this should never happen again," he said.

Nearly 40 CRPF personnel were killed when a Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM) terrorist rammed a vehicle carrying over 100-kg explosives into their bus on Srinagar-Jammu national highway on Thursday at around 3.15 pm at Ladhu Modi Lethpora. The convoy consisted of 78 buses in which around 2,500 CRPF personnel were travelling from Jammu to Srinagar.

JeM, a terror outfit based in Pakistan and led by Masood Azhar, has carried out several terror attacks in India including the attack on Pathankot airbase in 2016. Masood was released by then Central government led by Atal Bihari Vajpayee in exchange for hostages on board flight IC-814 in December 1999. India has approached the United Nations to list Masood as a global terrorist, but China always vetoes New Delhi's bid in this regard.

During the protest, the Youth Congress workers tried to cross the barricades and attempted to stage a sit-in protest, but the police did not allow them to do so. Delhi Police have further tightened the security in and around Pakistan High Commissioner.

Besides the national capital, several parts of Jammu and Kashmir were badly hit by violent anti-Pakistan protests. Curfew has been imposed in Jammu after scores of people took to the streets and blocked Jammu-Pathankot national highway.

Prohibitory orders under Section 144 of CrPC have also been imposed in Jammu, while data services in various districts of the state have been suspended in the wake of protests by locals against Pulwama terror attack.