India V Pakistan: Modi urged to ‘TAKE REVENGE’ terror attack - tensions erupt

INDIAN Prime Minister Narendra Modi has been urged to take “revenge” on Pakistan after a terror attack by militants in the disputed Kashmir region which claimed the lives of 44 paramilitary police, further ramping up tensions between the two nuclear-armed nations.

By Ciaran McGrath, Senior News Reporter

And Mr Modi has given soldiers free rein to tackle cross-border insurgency, with Indian authorities detaining 23 people so far in connection with the killings, which occurred when a suicide bomber crashed a car laden with explosives into a convoy of lorries on Thursday. Indian television station NDTV said had spoken about the deaths of the officers, also known as japans, at an event in the Indian state of Bihar in the India’s north-east. Ram Vilas Paswan, whose Lok Janshakti Party (LJP) is allied with Mr Modi’s Bharatiya Janata Party, said: "We will take revenge for each and every drop of blood shed in Pulwama.”

We will take revenge for each and every drop of blood shed in Pulwama

Ram Vilas Paswan

Bihar’s chief minister Nitish Kumar added: "After the killing of jawans, the entire nation is angry. Please don't forgive them.

"The entire country is thinking the targeting of the jawans was an act of cowardice.”

Mr Modi himself said: "To the people who have gathered here, I would like to say the fire that is raging in your bosoms is in my heart too.”

Indian forces have detained 23 men suspected of links to the Pakistan-based militant group that masterminded the of an Indian security convoy that killed 44 paramilitary police, a top police official said on Sunday.

Narendra Modi

Mr Modi said fire was "raging in his heart" after the attack (Image: GETTY)

The 23 men included members and sympathisers of , the militant group which has claimed responsibility for Thursday's attack, the deadliest on Indian security forces in decades.

The attack has fuelled tensions between India and Pakistan - the two countries have twice come close to all-out war over Kashmir.

India has demanded Pakistan close down the Jaish and other Islamist militant groups that operate from its soil, while Islamabad has rejected suggestions it was linked to the attack.

Kashmir, a Muslim-majority region at the heart of decades of hostility, is claimed in its entirety by India and Pakistan, but is ruled in part by both south Asian countries.

Ram Vilas Paswan

Ram Vilas Paswan called for Mr Modi to "take revenge" (Image: GETTY)

Representatives of India's National Investigating Agency (NIA) questioned the suspects about the bombing on Sunday, two security officials said.

One source said: "They are trying to reach out to the top commanders of Jaish-e-Mohammad, including its Kashmir Chief.”

Mohammed Umair, the commander of the in Kashmir who is believed to have plotted the attack, is suspected to be hiding in the region where the attacks took place, the officials said.

The officials say Umair had "radicalised and motivated" the Kashmiri school dropout who carried out the attack.

Nitish Kumar

Nitish Kumar said the whole nation was "angry" (Image: GETTY)

Umair is thought to have entered Indian Kashmir from Pakistan in September to head the Jaish in the region.

Security forces suspect he is in hiding in southern Kashmir, according to the officials, who could not be named as a matter of policy.

Indian officials say Umair is a nephew of the chief of the Jaish, Masood Azhar, who is believed to be in Pakistan.

Indian Prime Minister has promised a strong response to the attack and says he has given the military a free hand to tackle cross-border militancy.

Kashmir attack

Security forces after the attack in Kashmir on Thursday (Image: Youtube)

The Jaish, considered to be one of the most lethal militant groups, has expanded its presence in , the police officer said.

India has raided the houses of suspected militants across South Kashmir to find information on those who masterminded and executed the attack.

Muzaffar Ahmad Malik, whose brother declared himself a militant a year ago, told Reuters that his house was raided on Saturday by Indian troops.

Mr Malik said: ”They were looking for militants, as they said that they had information about militants hiding in the house.”

Investigators are now trying to figure out how a large quantity of explosives used in the attack was smuggled into Kashmir, the officials said.

A spokesman for the ministry of home affairs declined to comment.

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