On February 14, 2019, a CRPF convoy was traveling on the Jammu-Srinagar National Highway when a suicide bomber, Adil Ahmad Dar, rammed an explosive-laden car into a bus.
The Pulwama highway bombing resulted in the martyrdom of 40 soldiers, marking one of the deadliest attacks on Indian security forces.
The Pakistani terrorist group Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) claimed responsibility. The main conspirator, Mohammed Umar Farooq, received explosives training in Afghanistan.
The Pulwama attack involved the use of 200 kg of RDX, gelatin sticks, and other explosives.
Terrorists planned the Pulwama attack two years ahead. A Maruti Eeco, bought in January 2019, was loaded with explosives in February, awaiting the national highway's reopening.
On February 26, 2019, the Indian Air Force launched airstrikes on JeM's largest terror camp in Balakot, Pakistan, in retaliation for the Pulwama attack.
In Operation Bandar, Mirage-2000 fighter jets struck, killing hundreds of terrorists. The training camp of Maulana Yusuf Azhar, Masood Azhar's brother-in-law, was destroyed.
A dogfight between Indian and Pakistani air forces occurred on February 27, 2019. Indian pilot Abhinandan Varthaman shot down a Pakistani F-16 but landed across the border.
Pakistan captured Abhinandan Varthaman but released him on March 1, 2019, under immense international pressure.
The NIA filed a chargesheet against 19 terrorists, including Masood Azhar. The investigation revealed the involvement of JeM and Pakistan's ISI.
India commemorates the Pulwama martyrs every year on February 14. The attack led to a stricter security policy and a zero-tolerance approach to terrorism.
Following the attack, India exposed Pakistan on the global stage, leading to its inclusion in the FATF grey list due to international pressure.