Pulwama Attack: Virat Kohli postpones Indian Sports Honours as a 'mark of respect' to CRPF

Star cricketer Virat Kohli has postponed the RP-SG Indian Sports Honours, which was to take place on Saturday, as a "mark of respect" to the CRPF personnel martyred in the Pulwama terrorist attack.

On Thursday, at least 40 CRPF paramilitary troopers were killed in a terror attack while several others are battling for their lives following what is being termed as the deadliest terrorist strike in three decades in Jammu and Kashmir.

Indian Sports Honours is an initiative of Virat Kohli Foundation and RP-Sanjiv Goenka Group.

"The RP-SG Indian Sports Honours has been postponed. At this heavy moment of loss that we all find ourselves in, we would like to cancel this event that was scheduled to take place tomorrow," Kohli wrote on his twitter handle Friday night.

The RP-SG Indian Sports Honours has been postponed. At this heavy moment of loss that we all find ourselves in, we would like to cancel this event that was scheduled to take place tomorrow.

— Virat Kohli (@imVkohli) February 15, 2019

The sporting fraternity, including Kohli, had joined the country in condemning the dastardly attack.

The batting mainstay annually rewards excellence in sports and nurtures promising athletes through his foundation.

"The RP-SG Indian Sports Honours that was supposed to happen tomorrow night has been postponed by Virat as a mark of respect to the CRPF jawans who were martyred at Pulwama by a tragic terror attack," the foundation said in a statement.

Sanjiv Goenka and @imVkohli are deeply pained at the recent unfortunate event in Pulwama and express their solidarity to the families of the Martyrs. They have hence decided to postpone the 2nd edition of the ISH which was scheduled for 16th Feb19 in Mumbai, to a later date.

— Indian Sports Honours (@sportshonours) February 15, 2019

"The who's who of entertainment and sports industry were supposed to be present for the award ceremony. Every partner and all the sportstars and delegates associated with this award have been informed and communicated with(,) stating that hosting an event was unacceptable at this moment when India is mourning the death of its jawans." An explosive-laden SUV rammed into one of the buses in the CRPF convoy at Awantipora town in the Pulwama district.

Condolence messages have been pouring in for the family of the deceased CRPF soldiers since the news of the attack broke out.

The foundation, an organisation dedicated to assisting the underprivileged sections of society, provides scholarships to promising young athletes, as well as individuals and initiatives that have promoted the sport at the grassroots level.