NYT draws flak for describing Pulwama terror attack as an ‘explosion’

The New York Times’ headline on a piece about Prime Minister Modi’s electoral prospects has earned it quite a bit of flak on social media. The headline described the Pulwama terror attack, which killed 44 Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) men, as an “explosion”. It said: “In India’s Election Season, an Explosion Interrupts Modi’s Slump”.  Journalists and commentators on Twitter pointed out that the use of the word “explosion” belittles the gravity of the attack on India’s armed police force.

This isn’t the first time the NYT has displayed a poor choice of word when it comes to terror attacks in India. After 26/11, one of its headlines stated: “India Faces Reckoning as Terror Toll Eclipses 170”.

After the criticism it received, NYT changed the headline to “In India’s Election Season, a Bombing Interrupts Modi’s Slump” and deleted the tweet.