379: Pulwama Attack Anniversary: Where Are The Families of The Martyrs?

14 February 2019 was a dark day in the history of contemporary India. A suicide bomber drove a car loaded with explosives into a convoy of over 2,500 CRPF personnel in Kashmir’s Pulwama. The resulting blast….claimed 40 lives. The fury around the attack, executed by Pak-based terror outfit Jaish-e-Mohammad, would lead to cries for retaliation and revenge. The weeks following witnessed India’s response - reportedly by bombing JeM terror launch pads in Balakot, and the return of the Modi govt to power in the 2019 elections, riding on the wave of nationalism set off by these events. For the families of the 40 martyrs, life would never be the same again. Compensation was promised, assurances were made, and they were told they would be taken care of. But the reality is far from this. On the anniversary of the Pulwama terror attack, we spoke to the families of these men who laid down their lives for the country. 40 men all gone…but never forgotten. Guests: Lt. Gen(Retd.) Syed Ata Hasnain Abhishek Rawat, Son of constable Koushal Kumar Rawat Sudha Rawat, Mother of constable Koushal Kumar Rawat Shakuntala Devi, Wife of Head Constable Sanjay Kumar Sinha Mahendra Singh, Father of Head Constable Sanjay Kumar Sinha Meena Goutam, Wife of Constable Ajit Kumar Azad Host and Producer: Vishnu Gopinath Editor: Jaskirat Singh Bawa Music: Big Bang Fuzz Additional Reading: Can A Repeat of The Pulwama Terror Attack Occur in Kashmir? (https://www.thequint.com/voices/opinion/pulwama-attack-can-pakistan-repeat-india-kashmir) Pulwama: A Year On, Martyrs’ Kin Talk About The Loss & Struggle (https://www.thequint.com/videos/news-videos/pulwama-attack-a-year-on-martyrs-kin-talk-about-the-loss-and-struggle)