Several people were injured in the IED blast, which reduced the bus to a mangled heap of iron.
Pulwama Terror Attack: LIVE UPDATES
At least 20 jawans of the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) were martyred when a bus they were travelling in was ripped through in a fidayeen attack (suicide attack) in Jammu and Kashmir's Pulwama district on Thursday. Gunshots were also heard following the blast which took place on the Srinagar-Jammu highway in Awantipora area of the district. Casualties are likely to go up, news agency PTI reported quoting officials. This is the worst terror strike on security forces since 2016 Uri terror attack.
Terror group Jaish-e-Mohammed has claimed responsibility for IED blast, officials said.
Suicide Attack on CRPF bus on Srinagar-Jammu Highway: LIVE News UPDATES
Several people were injured in the IED blast, which reduced the bus to a mangled heap of iron. According to reports, Jaish terrorist identified as Adil Ahmed Dar rammed his explosives-laden car into one of the buses of the CRPF convoy.
The area has been cordoned off and a massive search operation is underway.
As per reports, nearly 2,500 jawans were part of the 70-vehicle CRPF contingent which was moving from Jammu to Srinagar. Nearly, 200 kg of explosives were used in the attack, initial investigations have revealed.
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"Senior officers are at the spot, the investigation is underway. Injured being taken care of. There were 2500 personnel in the convoy," CRPF DG RR Bhatnagar
Meanwhile, Home Minister Rajnath Singh called CRPF DG RR Bhatnagar to take stock of the situation following the deadly terror attack.