Protests, prayers across Rajasthan for Pulwama bravehearts

JAIPUR: Several shops remained closed, while schools, colleges, and government offices held prayer meets on Friday, to pay their respects to the CRPF personnel who lost their lives in Thursday’s terrorist attack in Jammu and Kashmir’s Pulwama.


Grief and rage struck the entire state, even as over 1,500 different protests were held across the city at Ramganj, Lal Kothi, Govindgarh, Shahpura, Kothputli, among others.

Several people in the evening, thronged the Statue Circle area with candles and tricolour, many more turned up for meetings near Gujjar ki thadi, and Amar Jawan Jyoti on Rajpath .

Markets in Jaipur, Kota, Dholpur and other cities are likely to remain shut on Saturday as a mark of respect for the Pulwama martyrs. Across the state, there were candle marches, silent prayer meets and youths burning Pakistan’s national flag while demanding the government for a resolute action against terror groups operating from Pakistan.

The bar associations across multiple cities of Rajasthan shouted slogans against Pakistani government. Several musical programmes were cancelled in the state. In Jhalawar, college students in large numbers gathered outside government offices and landmark buildings to demand action against the cowardly attack.

All IPS, including the state DGP, observed two-minute silence to pay respect to the martyrs at Police Headquarters (PHQ). Prayer meetings were also held by employees at Rajasthan secretariat on Friday morning. In Tonk, students and market associations gave floral tributes to the martyrs, while a candle march was organized in Deedwana in Nagaur district , attended by people in large numbers.

Several SDMs across the city began the day with observing two-minute silence. In Bikaner , residents called upon the Union government to teach Pakistan a lesson, while in Jaisalmer, Rawatsar, Sikar, and Jhunjhunu , people burnt effigies of Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan.