Anguished families of martyrs demand action against Pak

As they mourned their sons, brothers and fathers, the families of the CRPF jawans, who were martyred in the terror attack at Pulwama in Jammu & Kashmir on Thursday, demanded tough action against Pakistan.

''I want the government to teach Pakistan a lesson for its deeds,'' said ten-year-old Isha, the daughter of 35-year old Ajeet Kumar Azad, a resident of Uttar Pradesh's Unnao district, and one of the martyrs in terror attack.

As many as 12 of the 44 martyred CRPF jawans, hailed from different parts of Uttar Pradesh.

Among the martyrs, some had joined their duties barely a day before, after leave or after being transferred from elsewhere.

Father of the martyred CRPF jawan Pankaj Tripathi, a resident of state's Maharajganj district, said that his son had joined his duty on Tuesday after completion of his leave.

Similarly, Kaushal Kumar Rawat, another martyred CRPF jawan, a resident of Agra district, had joined on Tuesday after being transferred from Siliguri in West Bengal, reports said.

As the news of the terror attack reached the families, the entire neighbourhood rushed to their homes to know about their well being.

People raised anti-Pakistan slogans and asked the government to take tough action against it. ''The sacrifice of the jawans must not go waste,'' said Jagadish Prajapati, the father of one of the martyred CRPF jawan Pradeep Kumar, a resident of Shamli district.

Both houses of Uttar Pradesh assembly were adjourned till Monday after paying homage to the martyred jawans.

UP Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath announced financial assistance of Rs 25 lakh to the family of each of the martyrs, a government job to one member of the family and other benefits.