Home Minister Rajnath Singh will be visiting Srinagar on Friday in the wake of the Pulwama terror attack that killed more than 40 CRPF personnel dead and several injured in Jammu and Kashmir’s Pulwama district on Thursday.

A Jaish-e-Mohammed terrorist rammed an explosive-laden vehicle into a bus in which the CRPF men were travelling. The troop was moving in a convoy of 70 vehicles. Two of them were destroyed in the blast. As many as 44 soldiers were reported dead at the time of writing this report.

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Prime Minister Narendra Modi spoke to the Home Minister and senior officials regarding the situation.

Condemning the attack, the PM said: “Attack on CRPF personnel in Pulwama is despicable. I strongly condemn this dastardly attack. The sacrifices of our brave security personnel shall not go in vain. The entire nation stands shoulder to shoulder with the families of the brave martyrs. May the injured recover quickly.”

Attack on CRPF personnel in Pulwama is despicable. I strongly condemn this dastardly attack. The sacrifices of our brave security personnel shall not go in vain. The entire nation stands shoulder to shoulder with the families of the brave martyrs. May the injured recover quickly.

— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) February 14, 2019

READ | 44 CRPF jawans killed, nearly 45 injured in suicide attack in J-K’s Pulwama; JeM claims responsibility

In a statement, Rajnath Singh said the Central government was determined to foiling the designs of those who wanted to disrupt peace through such a terror attack “sponsored and sheltered by Pakistan”.

“Jaish-e-Mohammed has carried out this terror attack. We assure the country that we will undertake whatever it takes to avenge this,” he said.

आज पाकिस्तान स्थित और उनके द्वारा संरक्षित आतंकवादी संगठन जैश-ए -मोहम्मद ने कश्मीर में एक हृदय विदारक आतंकवादी हमला किया जिसकी मैं और सारा देश भर्त्सना करता है। इस आतंकी हमले का समुचित जबाब देने के लिए सारा देश एकजुट है।

— Rajnath Singh (@rajnathsingh) February 14, 2019

Rajnath Singh met Special DIB, IB Director and NSA Ajit Doval, and also spoke to J&K Governor Satya Pal Malik. Union Home Secretary Rajiv Gauba, who reached Bhutan capital Thimpu earlier on Thursday for the annual secretary-level talks, has decided to cut short the visit and rush back.

The Home Minister has cancelled his scheduled visit to Bihar on Friday.

The ministry is closely monitoring the situation.

READ | JCCI calls for Jammu shutdown on Friday against terror attack on CRPF jawans

The Union Ministry of External Affairs blamed Pakistan-based and supported terrorist organisation Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) for the Pulwama terror attack and asserted that New Delhi was firmly and resolutely committed to taking all necessary measures to safeguard national security.

“This heinous and despicable act has been perpetrated by JeM terrorist organisation proscribed by the United Nations and other countries. This terror group is led by the international terrorist, Masood Azhar, who has been given full freedom by the Government of Pakistan to operate and expand his terror infrastructure in territories under the control of Pakistan and to carry out attacks in India and elsewhere with impunity,” the MEA said in a late night statement.

India condemns in the strongest possible terms the cowardly terrorist attack on our brave security forces in #Pulwama, Jammu & Kashmir earlier today perpetrated by Pakistan based terrorist group Jaish-e-Mohammedhttps://t.co/qDRGM7CmYc pic.twitter.com/yObauXBnHS

— Raveesh Kumar (@MEAIndia) February 14, 2019

India demanded that Pakistan stopped supporting terrorists and terror groups operating from their territory and dismantled the infrastructure operated by terrorist outfits to launch attacks in other countries.

READ | Governor Malik orders security forces to step up surveillance

“We strongly reiterate our appeal to all members of the international community to support the proposal to list terrorists, including JeM Chief Masood Azhar, as a designated terrorist under the 1267 Sanctions Committee of the UN Security Council and to ban terrorist organisations operating from territories controlled by Pakistan,” the statement read.

The Ministry of Information and Broadcasting has asked all private TV channels to be cautious about content that could encourage or incite violence or promote anti-national attitudes.

READ | Sacrifices will not go in vain: PM Modi on Pulwama terror attack

“In light of the recent terrorist attack, TV channels are advised to be particularly cautious with regard to any content which is likely to encourage or incite violence or contains anything against maintenance of law and order or which promotes anti-national attitudes; and/or contains anything affecting the integrity of the nation,” an advisory issued by the ministry said.

It asked the channels to ensure that no such content that was violative of the Programme and Advertising Code as prescribed in the Cable Television Networks (Regulation) Act was telecast.

“All private channels are requested to ensure strict compliance,” the ministry said.