Rajnath meets with RAW chief, NSA, other security officials

New Delhi, Feb. 16 (IANS): Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh on Saturday held a meeting with RAW chief A. K. Dhasmana, Additional Director IB Arvind Kumar, Home Secretary Rajiv Gauba and NSA Ajit Doval in the wake of the Pulwama terror attack that left 49 CRPF troopers dead.

What transpired between them was not immediately known or officially communicated, but sources in Home Ministry said that Singh took stock of the security situation in Kashmir in the aftermath of the terror attack by the Pakistan-based Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM).

The meeting also come in the wake of outrage and anger among the people post the attack as the country expecting retaliation from the government.

From the US, China, Russia, Canada, Australia and the European Union to Afghanistan, Israel, Saudi Arabia and Indonesia, various countries have come in support of India and expressed solidarity with Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Just a day after the Pulwama attack, India started the process of isolating Pakistan on the international stage with Foreign Secretary Vijay Gokhale meeting at least two dozen envoys in the national capital.

It also withdrew the Most Favoured Nation (MFN) status given to Pakistan. According to experts, India’s decision to withdraw the MFN status to Pakistan would adversely impact the neighbouring country’s economy.

Army officer killed in JK
Jammu, Feb. 16 (PTI): An army officer was killed and a soldier suffered injuries in an improvised explosive device (IED) explosion along the Line of Control (LoC) in Rajouri district of Jammu and Kashmir on Saturday, officials said.

The IED was apparently planted by “enemy forces within Indian territory” in Nowshera sector and set off when an army officer, along with his men, was patrolling the area, they said.

The blast killed the officer and injured a soldier who was evacuated to hospital, the officials said.

The IED blast came two days after 40 CRPF personnel were killed when a Jaish-e-Mohammad terrorist rammed an explosive-laden SUV into a bus carrying them in Pulwama district in south Kashmir.

This was the second IED attack along the LoC in the same sector since January. On January 11, two army personnel, including a major, were killed in Naushera sector of Rajouri.