Pulwama Terror Attack: Indian football fraternity pays tribute to martyrs
On the horrific afternoon of 14th February 2019, an SUV carrying explosives rammed a bus carrying security personnel of CRPF personnel at Awantipora town in the Pulwama district. It resulted in the death of more than 40 soldiers and the suicide bomber affiliated to Jaish-e-Mohammad. The whole nation has expressed their grief on the matter and solidarity to the families of the martyrs with the Indian football fraternity chipping in as well.
East Bengal has written a letter to the AIFF to relocate their I-League match against Real Kashmir on 28th February to a neutral venue fearing safety of their players and management. Minerva Punjab, the defending champions, too has penned a message to the All India Football Federation seeking reposition of the venue of their encounter.
Owner Ranjit Bajaj even iterated that the club is ready to abandon the fixture and grant three points to the opposition even though it could hurt the chances of the club staying in the top division of the country.
In the ISL encounter between Kerala Blasters and Chennaiyin FC at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium in Kochi on Friday, a minute of silence was observed before kickoff. The fan clubs of both the teams even brought out posters in the venue showing their support to the Indian Army and expressing condolences to the martyrs of the family.
Apart from that, the ISL clubs and prominent Indian footballers have conveyed their empathies to the family of the martyrs through Twitter. Here are a collection of those.
Indian football team captain Sunil Chhetri prayed that the families of the soldiers found the courage to cope with the loss.
Aizawl FC announced that they will observe a minute of silence before their match against Mohun Bagan.
Gokulam Kerala FC players will don a black armband and hold a minute of silence before the kickoff in their match against Indian Arrows.
Indian Women's Football Team captain Aditi Chauhan, herself, comes from a CRPF family and knows exactly what the family of the martyrs are going through.
FC Goa released a poster in a black background showing solidarity to the soldiers and their family.
Northeast United FC, currently third in the points table, are also with the families of the martyred CRPF Jawans.
The Indian Armed Forces' logos are embellished in Minerva Punjab's jersey and the team has decided not to play a football match an hour drive's away from the spot where the terror attack took place.
Shillong Lajong, who are in the bottom of the I-League, have also expressed their deepest condolences
Kerala Blasters, who has one of the largest fan bases in the country, came up with a brilliant slogan against terrorism.
Jamshedpur FC and FC Pune City, who will lock horns against each other in the ISL today, have shown their empathy to the families of the martyrs.