On the eastern flank, outside Bhandup railway station Shiv Sena supporters burnt an effigy of Pakistan's prime minister Imran Khan MUMBAI: Shock and anger over the IED blasts that killed nearly 45 CRPF jawans in Pulwama, J&K, Thursday reverberated 2,150 km away in Mumbai. Impromptu bandhs were called across shopping enclaves, candle marches held in residential localities, events and celebrations cancelled. The surge of emotion variously evoked calls for retaliation against Pakistan, withdrawal of MFN (most favoured nation) status to that country, and a boycott of its singers and musicians in our film industry. Some voices demanded a ban on Chinese goods citing China's "abetment" of Pakistan. The fury spiraled as word came that two martyred soldiers Nitin Rathod and Sanjay Rajput hailed from Buldhana in the state. In South Mumbai, shops in Bhendi Bazar observed a bandh as the arterial road was filled with protestors shouting "Pakistan Murdabad". Raza Academy and Ulama-e-Ahlesunnat led demonstrations to show solidarity. Members of the Bharat Bachao Andolan assembled at the Hutatma Smarak near Azad Maidan to voice their upset. Many functions were cancelled or postponed. Actor Shabana Azmi and her husband writer Javed Akhtar called off their trip to Karachi for the birth centenary celebration of her father, poet Kaifi Azmi . The inauguration of a study centre at Eidgah Maidan was put off. In Versova, the trustees of the Children's Welfare Centre (CWC) deferred the school's annual day event scheduled Saturday. The Royal Western India Turf Club interrupted its Mumbai Races at Mahalaxmi racecourse for an obituary. Racegoers, trainers, horse owners and jockeys observed a minute's silence. In Lokhandwala Complex, Andheri, a residents' association LOCA held candlelight vigil near the Ganesh immersion tank. A few kms away at Amar Jawan Chowk in Goregaon East, a candle march was organised at dusk by Team Ample Mission. On the eastern flank, outside Bhandup railway station Shiv Sena supporters burnt an effigy of Pakistan's prime minister Imran Khan. In Ghatkopar, MLA Ram Kadam led approximately 500 men to set the Pakistani flag afire. "We held the tricolour, not party flags, and called slogans urging prime minister Narendra Modi to launch another surgical strike against that country," Kadam said. The Shiv Sena unit in Vasai-Virar burned the Pakistani flag too. Activists and passersby raised slogans against the Jaish-e-Mohammed at Panchvati naka in Ambadi. In Kalyan (East), Shiv Sena leader Mahesh Gaikwad led a bandh. His supporters swarmed the streets and demanded that the Central government avenge the death of the soldiers. BJP MLA Narendra Pawar with his supporters assembled at Shivaji chowk. Shopkeepers voluntarily closed their stores and autorickshaw drivers did not ply their vehicles. Meanwhile, a tour operator named Gem Tours suspended all packages to Kashmir in "solidarity" with the martyrs' families. It continued services to Leh & Ladakh region in Jammu & Kashmir for these regions remain peaceful.<doc-sep>Celebrities like Riteish Deshmukh, Paresh Rawal, and others showed their anger on social media. Srinagar: Bollywood celebrities today expressed their shock at the terror attack on a Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) convoy in J&K’s Pulwama on Thursday in which at least 30 soldiers were killed. Post the incident, terror group Jaish-e-Mohammed has claimed responsibility for the attack. Celebrities like Riteish Deshmukh, Paresh Rawal, Swara Bhasker and others showed their anger on social media. Paresh Rawal wrote, "The perpetrators of PULWAMA dastardly act should be punished severely and decisively- target the enemies outside and within - we have responsibilities towards our Jawans ." The perpetrators of PULWAMA dastardly act should be punished severely and decisively- target the enemies outside and within - we have responsibilities towards our Jawans . — Paresh Rawal (@SirPareshRawal) February 14, 2019 Riteish Deshmukh tweeted, "Absolutely tragic news coming from Pulwama - Condolences to the families of the martyrs- & prayers for the injured jawans. Cowards are at it again. Absolutely deplorable. pulwama terror attack". Absolutely tragic news coming from #Pulwama - Condolences to the families of the martyrs- & prayers for the injured jawans. Cowards are at it again. Absolutely deplorable. #pulwamaterrorattack — Riteish Deshmukh (@Riteishd) February 14, 2019 Always vocal about social issues, actress Swara Bhasker expressed, "Shameful! Tragic & shocking. Jaish-e-Mohammed has brazenly & shamelessly claimed responsibility. These monsters have no soul, no humanity. Pure evil! Why does this terrorist group have safe haven in Pakistan? Imran Khan RIP our brave soldiers, strength to bereaved families." Shameful! Tragic & shocking. Jaish-e-Mohammed has brazenly & shamelessly claimed responsibility. These monsters have no soul, no humanity. Pure evil! Why does this terrorist group have safe haven in #Pakistan ? @ImranKhanPTI RIP our brave soldiers, strength to bereaved families. https://t.co/p3vteVL23K — Swara Bhasker (@ReallySwara) February 14, 2019 Reports suggest that the terrorists triggered the blast while the CRPF personnel were plying through the Srinagar-Jammu highway.<doc-sep>Congress party on Thursday hit out at the Prime Minister Narendra Modi led government for not being able to restrict terrorist attacks in the country. Addressing the media over the deadly attack in Pulwama in Jammu and Kashmir in which around 40 CRPF personnel were killed, spokesperson Randeep Surjewala said it was the 18th big terror attack in the past five years. "We strongly condemn this cowardly attack and we extend condolences to the kin of the jawans who were martyred. This is the 18th big terror attack in the last 5 years under this Modi Govt. When will the 56-inch chest reply?" Surjewala said. Sharpening his attack on the central government he added, "This is the next big attack after the one in Uri. We condemn the attack and pay our tributes to the security personnel who have lost their lives in the same. More than 445 personnel have lost their lives in ceasefire violation which has taken place more than 5000 times in the last five years." A CRPF convoy on its way to Srinagar from Jammu was attacked in Awantipora area of Pulwama district on Thursday afternoon by terrorists, causing heavy casualties. Around 2500 personnel were travelling in 78 vehicles which were part of the convoy when the incident occurred. Meanwhile, party president Rahul Gandhi also condemned the attack. He tweeted, "I'm deeply disturbed by the cowardly attack on a #CRPF convoy in J&K in which many of our brave CRPF men have been martyred and a large number wounded, some critically. My condolences to the families of our martyrs. I pray for the speedy recovery of the injured. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)<doc-sep>The local trains services on Western Railway were affected on Saturday morning after people came down on tracks in protest over Pulwama attack. The suburban locals were stranded between 8:30 am to 11:40 am on Nallasopara and Virar stretch. The WR officials said that by 8:30 am people, who were preventing shops from opening in the area, started coming onto the tracks. There were severely overcrowded foot over bridges and platforms due to "rail roko" protests. The protesters stopped the train from moving and shouted slogans like "Bharat Mata ki jai" and "Pakistan Murdabaad". It affected morning peak hour services especially those running towards Churchgate on both slow and fast lines. "We were trying to convince people to come back from tracks and allow trains to move. However it took time," said a WR official. Maharashtra: Protesters stage demonstration on the railway tracks at Nallasopara railway station in protest against #PulwamaAttack. Train movement affected at Nallasopara and beyond. pic.twitter.com/BzFLDzyi6z — ANI (@ANI) February 16, 2019 In a tweet, the Western Railway (WR) said, "Several protesters have blocked the tracks at Nallasopara due to which train movement has been affected at Nallasopara & beyond. GRP, RPF are making efforts to convince the people & evacuate the tracks & normalize the train movement." At least 60 train services were cancelled due to this and several trains leaving Vasai and Borivali were running late by 20 minutes and more. "The situation was brought under control and trains resumed running by 11:40 am," said Ravinder Bhakar, Chief PRO, Western Railway. However, it was expected to take a couple of hours to get trains on schedule. At least 40 CRPF personnel were killed in Jammu and Kashmir on Thursday when a suicide bomber of Pakistan-backed terror group Jaish-e-Mohammed rammed a vehicle carrying nearly 100 kg of explosives into their bus in Pulwama district.<doc-sep>
A day after a terror strike in Pulwama killed at least 38 Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) personnel, the city on Friday condemned the attack, demanding strict action from the authorities. There were protests at Bhendi Bazaar, Nagpada and other spots, with angry citizens burning Pakistani flags and effigies and pictures of Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan, Jaish-e-Mohammed founder Masood Azhar, who claimed the responsibility for the attack. At Nagpada, residents gathered outside the mosque and shouted slogans. “The Indian Army knows what they need to do. We just want them to ensure that such an incident doesn’t happen again. The deaths of soldiers need to be avenged and those responsible for it need to be taught a lesson,” said Furqan Sayed of NGO Sahas Foundation. Some areas saw candlelight marches, too. “As citizens of the country, we need to do something. We can only pray for the departed souls and salute their sacrifice. No one was expecting such an attack,” said Jatin Kothari, a member of an NGO, I am New Ghatkopar. The Shree Siddhivinayak Ganapati Temple Trust at Prabhadevi said they will provide a help of ₹51 lakh to the families of jawans who lost their lives. “It’s the least we can do as a religious institution who cares for the welfare of the society,” said Aadesh Bandekar, chairperson, Siddhivinayak Temple Trust, adding, “The trust has also decided to donate ₹25 lakh to the Queen Mary’s institute at Pune, which helps soldiers who suffered injuries in various attacks.”