 "15 years of 26/11: Here is how the Mumbai terror attacks unfolded")
26/11 is now marked as a dark day in India’s history as a series of terrorist attacks, lasting four days, struck Mumbai in November 2008. Sunday will mark 14 years to the day 12 coordinated shootings and bombings took place in iconic locations across the city, including Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus, Oberoi Trident and Taj Palace and Tower, among others.
On the last day of the attack on November 29, 2008, the National Security Guards (NSG) conducted Operation Tornado to clear out terrorists from the Taj Hotel. A total of 166 people, including foreigners and security personnel, were killed in the attack, while nine terrorists affiliated to Pakistan’s Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) were gunned down, and the remaining tenth – Kasab – was taken into custody. He was convicted and sentenced to death and later hanged on November 21, 2012.
Here’s a timeline of the events that took place on the fateful day:
November 26, 2008: Ten young men “controlled” from Pakistan arrive in Mumbai from Karachi on speedboats. They quickly spread out, with two terrorists entering the Trident, two going to the Taj, and four to Nariman House.
Kasab and another terrorist, Ismail Khan, storm Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus (CSMT) and start shooting randomly, causing panic and death. These two then go to Cama Hospital, where they ambush and kill six police officers, including Ashok Kamte, Vijay Salaskar and then-head of anti-terror squad Hemant Karkare.
They hijack the jeep and try to flee but are intercepted by police. Kasab is captured, while Khan is killed in the firefight. Another police official dies.
On this day, images of smoke billowing from the Taj Hotel gripped the city in terror and have been etched onto the memory of Mumbai residents and Indians across the country.
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Two out of four terrorists, Abdul Rehman Bada and Abu Ali reach the main entrance after planting a crude RDX bomb in front of a police post. They are armed with AK-47s, ammunition and grenades. They start firing indiscriminately as they make their way to the lobby area.
Shoaib and Umer, two more terrorists, enter the hotel through a different door and start shooting at guests in the poolside area. Four foreigners are shot dead, as well as a security guard, Ravindra Kumar and his dog.
By midnight, Mumbai Police surround the hotel as guests are huddled up in small rooms, trying to save their lives. Around 1 am, the central dome of the hotel is bombed, with plumes of smoke rising out of the building.
November 27, 2008: The following day, army soldiers and marine commandos surround the Taj, Trident and Nariman House. There are reports of fresh rounds of gunfire, even as terrorists set fire to a room on the fourth floor of the hotel.
November 28, 2008: Commandos finish their operations at the Trident and Nariman House.
November 29, 2008: The NSG is called in and wipes out the remaining terrorists at the Taj Hotel in Operation Tornado. The attackers inside are killed in the operation. Major Sandeep Unnikrishnan was shot while rescuing commando Sunil Yadav, while Sergeant Gajendra Singh Bisht was killed in the Nariman House operation during a prolonged gunfight.
Remembering bravehearts of the Mumbai terror attacks
Major Sandeep Unnikrishnan
Major Sandeep Unnikrishnan, an NSG commando, upheld the Indian Army's motto- service before self- while battling the terrorists inside the Taj Hotel. He had entered the hotel with a force of 10 commandos and managed to engage the perpetrators in a firefight. “Do not come up, I will handle them,” were probably the last words that Major Sandeep Unnikrishnan told his men as he was struck by gunshots while engaging terrorists inside the hotel.
The government later awarded him with an Ashoka Chakra for his bravery.
Tukaram Omble
Tukaram Omble, who was serving in the Mumbai police as an assistant sub-inspector, is the reason Ajmal Kasab was apprehended.
On 26/11, he and his team were guarding one of the checkpoints when they were approached by two terrorists in a hijacked car. After an initial shootout, one of the terrorists died inside the car, while the other, Ajmal Kasab, stepped out of the car and lay down to pretend to surrender. As an unarmed Omble approached him, Kasab got up and tried to open fire. Omble stood in front of him and held on to the barrel of Kasab's rifle, thus preventing the bullets from striking anyone else but him. The rest of the team managed to overpower and apprehend Kasab. Omble had taken over 40 bullets from an AK-47 at point-blank range and did not survive.
For his exceptional gallantry, the government posthumously honoured him with the Ashoka Chakra, India's highest peacetime gallantry award.
Hemant Karkare
The Anti-Terrorist Squad chief was shot three times in his chest while fighting terrorists outside Cama Hospital in south Mumbai.
Former Mumbai Police Commissioner Julio Rebeiro was later quoted as saying, "Karkare was one of the best police officers in Maharashtra and I dare say in India."
Ashok Kamte
Ashok Kamte was serving as the Additional Commissioner of the Mumbai Police, supervising the Eastern region, when he was killed during the terror attacks. He had offered his assistance during the attacks, even though his area in the East zone was not under attack.
He, too, was killed fighting terrorists in the narrow lane between St Xaviers College and Rang Bhavan in south Mumbai.
Vijay Salaskar
Vijay Salaskar, an encounter specialist who was heading the Anti-Extortion Cell, also lost his life in the line of duty during the Mumbai attacks. During interrogation, captured terrorist Ajmal Kasab admitted to killing Salaskar.
The government honoured him with Ashoka Chakra on January 26, 2009, for his bravery.
Hawaldar Gajendra Singh
Hawaldar Gajendra Singh was among the NSG commandos that abseiled to the roof of Nariman House, where terrorists were holding at least six hostages. The team came under fire from the terrorists at the hostage site. A few grenades were also hurled by terrorists at commandos. It was his ultimate sacrifice that helped the NSG team to secure a dominant position in the encounter.
Israel's move ahead of the 26/11 anniversary
Ahead of the 15th anniversary of the 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks, Israel has listed Pakistan-based terror outfit Lashkar-e-Taiba as a “terror organisation”.
Making this announcement, Israel’s embassy in New Delhi said, “To symbolise the marking of the 15th year of commemoration of the Mumbai terror attacks, the State of Israel has listed Lashkar-e-Taiba as a terror organisation.”
“Despite not being requested by the Government of India to do so, the State of Israel has formally completed all necessary procedures and has satisfied all required checks and regulations to the result of introducing Lashkar-e-Taiba into the Israeli list of illegal terror organisations,” it said.
Israel’s move comes at a time when it has asked India to proscribe Hamas as a terrorist outfit. Last month, while interacting with journalists, Israel’s ambassador to India, Naor Gilon, said that the time has come for India to proscribe Hamas as a terrorist organisation like many other nations have done.
The US, UK, European Union, Canada, Australia, and Japan are among the countries and groupings that have designated Hamas as a terror outfit.