'Pulwama should not be an excuse to harass people'

Former Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti on Saturday cautioned that mischievous elements must not be allowed to use the Pulwama terror attack as "an excuse to persecute or harass people" from the state, saying the pain of the killings of CRPF personnel must not fuel "such diabolical plans".

"Understand the pain and anguish. But we mustn't allow such mischievous elements to use this as an excuse to persecute/harass people from J&K. Why should they suffer for somebody else's action? We need to be united instead of letting people exploit our fears," Mehbooba wrote on Twitter.

The PDP president's remarks came following violent protests in Jammu and reports of Kashmiri students being targeted in colleges and universities at some places outside the state.

"In this time of grief and outrage, attempts will be made to divide us. Religions and identities will be pitted against each other. Hindu vs Muslims. Jammu vs Kashmir. Our pain mustn't fuel such diabolical plans. Because eventually, the axe forgets but the tree remembers,” the former chief minister said in another tweet.

In one of the deadliest terror attacks in Jammu and Kashmir's three decades of militancy, a suicide bomber rammed an explosive-laden vehicle into a CRPF bus in Pulwama district, killing at least 40 personnel and leaving many critically wounded, on Thursday.

The Pakistan-based terror outfit Jaish-e-Mohammad claimed responsibility for the attack.