Live news updates: Representatives of various diplomatic missions arrive at Ministry of External Affairs 

The AMU on Friday suspended an undergraduate student from Kashmir for allegedly lauding a terrorist outfit in a social media post after the terror strike in Pulwama in which 40 CRPF personnel were killed.

Aligarh Muslim University (AMU) spokesperson Omar Peerzada told PTI that the matter is being further probed and "strong deterrent action" will be taken once the investigation is complete.

Public outrage spilled out on the streets in several parts of Bihar on Friday against the Pulwama terrorist strike which has claimed the lives of 37 CRPF personnel, two of them belonging to the state.

Sanjay Kumar Sinha and Ratan Kumar Thakur, both of them hailing from Bihar,are among the CRPF personnel who lost their lives in Thursdays terror attack in Jammu and Kashmir.

Sinha hailed from Taregana Dih village on the outskirts of the capital city while Thakur was a resident of Bhagalpur.

Congress Core group meeting is underway at the residence of UPA Chairperson Sonia Gandhi in Delhi, over yesterday’s Pulwama attack

Veteran actor Shabana Azmi on Friday said she and her husband, lyricist-writer Javed Akhtar, have decided not to attend Kaifi Azmi's birth centenary celebrations in Karachi in the wake of Pulwama terror attack.

Asserting that Kashmiri people living in other states could be soft targets in a surcharged atmosphere, former Jammu and Kashmir chief minister Omar Abdullah Friday asked Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh to direct all state governments to ensure their safety.

"My earnest appeal to Rajnath Singh ji to please issue directions to all state governments to take special care in areas/colleges/institutions where Kashmiris are residing/studying. They are soft targets in a surcharged atmosphere," Abdullah tweeted.

Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh, J&K Governor Satya Pal Malik and Army's Northern Command chief Lt Gen Ranbir Singh, pay tribute to CRPF personnel who lost their lives in Pulwama attack

Veteran BJP leader LK Advani on Friday described the terrorist attack on the CRPF convoy in Jammu and Kashmir' Pulwama as an attack on India and said the entire country should unitedly stand in firm support of the government.

"Terrorists and their sponsors should know that India can neither be divided nor deterred by their evil designs. The entire nation should stand united in firm support of whatever way the Government of India decides to respond to this attack," he said in a statement.

Curfew was imposed in Jammu city on Friday as a precautionary measure following massive protests over the terror attack in Pulwama in the Kashmir Valley in which 40 CRPF personnel were killed, officials said.

The Army has been requested to help the administration in maintaining law and order and conduct flag marches, they said.

Curfew was clamped as authorities feared a communal backlash, officials said. Protesters, particularly in the old city, refused to disperse even after loudspeakers announced that curfew was imposed.

India on Friday summoned Pakistan's top envoy and lodged strong protest over the killing of nearly 40 CRPF soldiers in the Pulwama terror attack carried out by Pakistan-based terror group Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM).

JeM has claimed responsibility for the terror attack in Jammu and Kashmir's Pulwama district on Thursday that left at least 40 CRPF soldiers dead and five others critically wounded.

The movement of convoy of security forces in Kashmir Valley was suspended on Friday apprehending law and order situation, a day after an audacious attack on a bus killed 40 CRPF personnel, officials said.

There will be no convoy movement on Friday in Kashmir Valley as there is a possibility of law and order problems, a Home Ministry official said.

The Supreme Court on Friday decided to hear a fresh plea challenging the constitutional validity of the 1993 central law by which 67.703 acre land, including the disputed premises of Ram Janambhoomi-Babri Masjid at Ayodhya, was acquired.

A bench headed by Chief Justice Ranjan tagged the matter with the main petition in which a constitution bench is dealing with the main title dispute.

The Supreme Court on Friday passed a slew of directions on filling up vacancies in the Central Information Commission (CIC) and state information commissions (SICs) and said the process of appointments must start one to two months before a post falls vacant.

A bench comprising Justices A K Sikri and S A Nazeer said the post of a chief information commissioner is on a higher pedestal and the appointment process for a CIC should be on the "same terms" as in the process of a chief election commissioner.

India on Friday withdrew the 'Most-Favoured Nation' status to Pakistan following the Pulwama terror attack that left nearly 40 CRPF personnel dead.

In a media briefing after the meeting of the Cabinet Committee on Security(CCS), Finance Minister Arun Jaitley said all efforts will be made to ensure that perpetrators of the attack are brought to book.

He said those aiding and abating the perpetrators will have to pay a heavy price.

Briefing reporters outside the Prime Minister's residence, he said the Ministry of External Affairs will launch an all out effort to isolate Pakistan and all diplomatic efforts will be launched in this regard.

The mortal remains of the CRPF personnel killed in an audacious terror attack in Jammu and Kashmir's Pulwama, will be sent to their homes across the country this afternoon, officials said on Friday.

While a majority of the 37 bodies have been identified, some of them have been mangled beyond recognition.

A home ministry official said arrangements have been made to hand over the bodies to the families.

The meeting of the Cabinet Committee on Security, on Pulwama attack has concluded. Home Minister Rajnath Singh to soon leave for Srinagar, J&K.

Experts of anti-terror commando force the National Security Guard (NSG) and investigators of the National Investigation Agency (NIA) left for Jammu and Kashmir on Friday to join the probe into the terror attack in Pulwama in which at least 37 CRPF personnel were killed, officials said.

On Thursday, a home ministry official had said an NIA team with forensic experts was being sent to Srinagar to assist Jammu and Kashmir Police in forensic evaluation of the scene of crime.

Explosive specialists of the Black Cat commando force NSG would also join in the investigation into the attack, another official had said.

All political programmes of BJP leaders, including PM Modi and party chief Amit Shah, for Friday have been cancelled in wake of Pulwama Terror attack, BJP sources said.

"I am shocked, outraged and deeply grieved by the barbarous attack on the CRPF convoy in Jammu and Kashmir. Our brave CRPF personnel died serving the nation selflessly, at the hands of cowardly terrorists, and their sacrifice will not be forgotten," Sonia Gandhi said

The White House asked Pakistan to immediately end "support" and "safe haven" to all terror groups as it strongly condemned the Pulwama terrorist attack.

"The United States calls on Pakistan to end immediately the support and safe haven provided to all terrorist groups operating on its soil, whose only goal is to sow chaos, violence, and terror in the region," White House Press Secretary Sarah Sanders said in a late night statement on Thursday.

"This attack only strengthens our resolve to bolster counterterrorism cooperation and coordination between the United States and India," she said in a strongly-worded statement issued by the White House.

The rupee weakened by 17 paise to trade at 71.33 against the US dollar in opening session Friday following sustained demand for the greenback from importers amid foreign fund outflow and rising global crude prices.

The dollar's gain against major world currencies also impacted the rupee sentiment, forex dealers said. At the forex market, the rupee opened weak at 71.22 and slipped further to quote 17 paise down at 71.33 against the US dollar.

Brent crude futures, the global benchmark, climbed to USD 65.04 per barrel by rising 0.63 per cent.