As India commemorates the 14th anniversary of the 26/11 terror attacks in Mumbai, several dignitaries from all around the nation paid tribute to the hundreds of victims. The terror attacks, which occurred over four days from November 26 to 29, 2008, and left more than 150 people dead, including security officers, civilians, and foreigners, were among the bloodiest in India’s history.
The UN Security Council’s commemoration event, which was held in the lobby of Mumbai’s Taj Hotel last month, was also remembered by the country’s external affairs minister, S. Jaishankar. He did so by posting a nearly two-minute video that featured his remarks from that event. The hotel was one of the locations targeted by terrorists in 2008.
In a tweet, President Droupadi Murmu said:
On the anniversary of 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks, the nation remembers with gratitude all those we lost. We share the enduring pain of their loved ones and families. Nation pays homage to the security personnel who fought valiantly and made supreme sacrifice in the line of duty.
— President of India (@rashtrapatibhvn) November 26, 2022
One of the worst terror assaults in Indian history, the Mumbai attacks of 2008, lasted for four days until November 29. These attacks resulted in the deaths of over 150 people, including police officers, civilians, and even foreign nationals. In the attacks, more than 300 individuals suffered injuries. Up to 10 members of the Pakistani Islamist terrorist group Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) reached Mumbai over the Arabian Sea and wreaked havoc by carrying out coordinated operations in several different locations throughout the Indian financial centre.
The attacks also occurred at the Nariman House, the Oberoi Trident, the Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus, the Leopold Cafe, and the Taj Hotel. As we reflect on the suffering endured, let’s recall the awful events of 2008 with “How it happened?” –
- On November 26, ten terrorists from the Lashkar-e-Taiba arrive in Mumbai by speedboat from Karachi. First reports from the city start to arrive in the late evening. Initial reports claim that a “gang fight” is in progress, but it soon becomes obvious that this is a terrorist strike.
Four terrorists enter the Taj, two enter the Trident, and two more enter the Nariman House. The other two, including Kasab, start shooting at the CSMT, leaving 58 people dead and more than 100 injured. Then Kasab and Ismail Khan make their way to the Cama Hospital. They attack six police officers en route, including the former head of the Mumbai Anti-Terror Squad (ATS), Hemant Karkare, as well as Vijay Salaskar and Ashok Kamte, and kill them. The two then attempt to escape in the jeep driven by the officers, but Mumbai Police catch them. Khan is slain in the ensuing altercation, and Kasab is taken into custody. Policeman Tukaram Ombale is slain in the line of duty.
- The Taj, Trident, and Nariman House are surrounded by Army troops and Marine commandos on November 27. Launching Operation Black Tornado is the elite NSG, which has been sent to raid the sites.
- The Trident and Nariman House operations are completed by commandos on November 28.
- On November 29, the NSG secures the Taj, ending the attacks.
Following the attacks, several politicians resigned, including Vilasrao Deshmukh, the then-chief minister of Maharashtra, and Shivraj Patil, the then-Union home minister.
A two-day UNSC anti-terrorism meeting came to an end on October 29, 2022, 14 years after the tragic killings. Survivors of the 2008 Mumbai terrorist attacks attended the meeting held at the Taj Hotel. They shared their memories of the events and participated in the anti-terror committee’s talks. Following discussions on “Countering the Use of New and Emerging Technologies for Terrorist Purposes,” the meeting was ended. The meeting took place for the first time in India, and Mumbai’s Taj Palace was chosen as the location since it was a target of the 26/11 terror attacks in Mumbai and was the scene of one of the horrific bloodbaths.
We re-lived the terror assaults above, but since The Cord is about stories that matter, there were stories of pain, stories of grief, stories of tears and stories of loss –
Four victims of two terror attacks—the 2016 Brussels bombings and the 26/11 attacks—were invited to the special meeting hosted by the Counter-Terrorism Committee.
Moshe Holtzberg, one of the survivors, was only two years old when the attack on the Nariman House claimed the lives of his mother Rivka Holtzberg and father Rabbi Gavriel. He relocated to Israel to live with his grandparents after the passing of his parents. He was one of the few survivors who told his tales to the crowd that had gathered for the meeting, sending a pre-recorded message in Hebrew to the committee. A report by Telegraph India reads, “Moshe’s cries during the prayer meeting for his parents melted the hearts of many.”
Ajmal Kasab, a Pakistani terrorist, shot Devika Rotawan, a current final-year arts student, in the Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus during the Mumbai attacks. She played a significant role in locating Kasab and providing evidence against him in court when she was as young as seven years old. Together with additional evidence, her testimony helped the court condemn Kasab. Devika stated during the meeting that she had wanted to join the police force ever since the incident to fight terrorism. According to a Telegraph India report, she also advocated for the adoption of stricter legislation to combat terrorism.
At the time of the 26/11 incident, Taj Mahal Palace’s general manager, Karambir Singh Kang, spoke at the meeting as well. The attack claimed the lives of his wife and two young children as he was assisting the guests to safety.
#WATCH |” We felt our house was attacked & we had to defend it,” says KS Kang, general manager of Mumbai’s Taj Mahal Palace hotel during 26/11 attack, as he recounts the horror of the attack before intn’l community gathered for UNSC’s Counter-Terrorism Committee meet at the hotel pic.twitter.com/YY7fau8zCI
— ANI (@ANI) October 28, 2022
“That evening, there were 2,000 guests and staff unarmed versus four heavily terrorists in this very place. My staff…risked their lives to save our guests, assisted by a few, brave local policemen over the next 10-12 hours until we got help from the NSG (National Security Guard),” Kang said at the start of the two-day UNSC meeting. Kang elaborated on the slaughter that took place on a fateful day in November 2008 by stating that his crew at the time perished in the Taj Hotel’s kitchens, restaurants, and hallways.
“They took bullets and formed a human chain so that they could protect our guests, who trusted us to do so,” he continued.
The wife of the late police constable, Tukaram Ombale was another individual whose life was affected by terrorism and who attended the conference. Ombale was killed while apprehending terrorist Kasab alive during the 26/11 incident.
In Mumbai, terrorist assaults were nothing new. On March 12, 1993, 12 consecutive bomb explosions shook India’s financial hub, leaving 257 people dead and 1400 injured. This attack was part of a larger organized terror campaign. The city’s renowned local train network came under attack in 2006 when bombs detonated in seven suburban trains, killing 209 people and wounding 700 more.
The attack in 2008, nonetheless, was unusual. Terrorists opened fire in public locations for the first time, murdering unarmed civilians in India’s financial centre. It was unheard of. The political consequences were unavoidable due to the widespread resentment among the terrified and helpless populace.
Undoubtedly, the 26/11 terrorist attacks marked a terrible period in the history of independent India. It is currently hard to predict whether India would ever again be the target of such attacks. At the same time, it is the responsibility of the security establishment to prevent another 26/11. India has made several crucial moves toward achieving this. India will undoubtedly be on track to become a secure country that cannot be disturbed by brainwashed bigots with effective intelligence gathering and dissemination, improved coordination, and prompt responses when necessary.
In the 14 years since 26/11, there have not been any significant terrorist attacks in Mumbai. It may be claimed that it is the result of the efforts of security and intelligence services, as well as the central and state governments. But can we conclude that our government has learned its lesson, though? So let’s hope.
