26/11 Mumbai Attack: 14th anniversary of Mumbai 26/11 attacks

On 28 November 2022, RPF constable Jillu Yadav, who showed courage in the Mumbai terror attack, died of a heart attack. It is worth mentioning that constable Jillu Yadav had saved the lives of hundreds of railway passengers by fighting the terrorist Kasab at the Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminal during the terrorist attack in Mumbai. Jillu Yadav threw away his baton at the time of the attack, picked up the rifle and started firing indiscriminately at the terrorists. RPF constable Jillu Yadav was also awarded the President’s Medal for his bravery and saving hundreds of lives.

It is the 14th anniversary of the terrorist attack on November 26, 2008 in Mumbai, the capital of Maharashtra, India. The Mumbai terror attack was the most gruesome and horrific terrorist attack in the history of India. In this attack, the terrorists had killed more than 160 people during this period. Even today people remember the evening of 26 November 2008, when Mumbai was bustling like everyday. In the normal condition of the city, people were shopping in the markets. Some people of the same city were enjoying the cool breeze coming from the sea. That day, 10 terrorists of Jaish-e-Mohammed, who came from Pakistan, terrorized Mumbai with bomb blasts and firing. It has been 14 years since this terrorist attack, but it is that dark day in Indian history which no one can forget even if they want to. As the night started to increase in Mumbai, the shouting on the streets also increased. The terrorists killed more than 160 people in Mumbai in separate attacks and injured more than 300 in these attacks.

On 26/11, one of the darkest days in the history of India, the terrorists carried out one of the most brutal terror attacks ever. In this gruesome attack, ten Lashkar-e-Taiba terrorists entered Mumbai and carried out a series of shootings and bomb blasts for four days. Although the terrorist attack in Mumbai in the year 2008 has completed 14 years today, but even today the wounds of the Mumbai terrorist attack are alive in the hearts of the people of India. Every year on 26 November, the families of the victims weep remembering that gruesome and horrific terrorist attack. The terror attack had stained the soil of Mumbai red with the blood of innocent people and police personnel. Everywhere a strange fear was clearly visible on the faces of the people running hither and thither. At the time of the terrorist attack, people watching the news on TV were also praying for the people present at the spot. The same people sitting inside the houses in every city and village of India wanted to hear the news of the terrorists being killed. This terrorist attack in Mumbai shook the hearts of every Indian. After this attack, many objectives of the terrorists were revealed from time to time. We all pay homage to the innocent people and martyred police security personnel killed in the terrorist attack.

On the 14th anniversary of the Mumbai terror attack, let’s know what happened on that day in Mumbai…

These 10 terrorists had reached Mumbai via sea route from Pakistan on 23 November, three days before the Mumbai terror attack. The terrorists captured the boat after killing four Indians on board. The terrorists landed at the fish market at around eight o’clock in the night. From there the terrorists were divided into four groups. The terrorists boarded the taxi and proceeded towards their respective destinations. It is known from the news published in the media that when these terrorists had landed in the fish market, the fishermen got suspicious on seeing them. At that time the fishermen had also informed the local police about this. But the police did not pay much attention to it. The terrorists sent from Pakistan were well trained. Under careful planning, the terrorists chose the sea route to enter India. The main objective of the terrorists was to spread terror. The Mumbai terror attack was planned several months in advance. There were also reports that the terrorists involved in the attack procured three SIM cards from the India-Bangladesh border and one SIM card from the US state of New Jersey.

Police received information about firing at Chhatrapati Shivaji Railway Terminal at 09.30 pm. It was told that two assailants fired indiscriminately in the main hall of the railway station here. One of these attackers was Mohammad Ajmal Kasab, who has been hanged. The two attackers opened fire with AK47 rifles, killing 52 people and injuring over 100. Apart from Shivaji Terminal, terrorists also opened fire at Leopold Cafe in South Mumbai, killing 10 people. Many foreigners were also killed in this shelling. Significantly, this cafe was catering to the guests since the year 1871. Due to this, at 10.30 pm, a taxi was blown up in Vile Parle area. The driver and a passenger had died in it. Similarly, a bomb blast was also reported from Bori Bunder, in which a taxi driver and two passengers were killed. About 15 people were injured in this. Mumbai’s Taj Hotel, Oberoi Trident Hotel and Nariman House were also involved in the horrific 26/11 terror attacks. There were 450 guests at the Taj Hotel and 380 at the Oberoi Trident Hotel when the terrorist attack took place. On November 27, the media reported that all the hostages in the Taj Hotel have been freed from the terrorists, but after some time news comes that some people are still in the custody of the terrorists, including many foreigners. At that time many kinds of things were being heard. There was also a discussion among the common people that the live coverage of the media has been helping the terrorists, the terrorists were getting every information about the attack from the live news of TV. The eyes of the world were fixed on the Taj, the Oberoi and the Nariman House. Everyone wanted to know about the attack. In the Mumbai terror attack, the encounter between the security forces and the terrorists went on for three days. Several members of the International Trade Union Parliamentary Committee were staying at the Taj Hotel at the time of the attack, although none of them were injured. British Member of the European Parliament Sajjad Karim was also present in the lobby of the Taj Hotel. On the other hand, there were many well-known people among the people present in Oberoi.

Due to the terrorist attack, by the morning of 28 November 2008, except the Taj Hotel, all other places were secured by the Mumbai Police and security forces. The sound of gunfire from all sides in Mumbai and the screams of innocent children trapped among the terrorists still echo in the ears of the people present on the spot. By the morning of 29 November, the Mumbai police and security forces had killed nine attackers. One of the attackers, terrorist Ajmal Kasab, was captured alive by assistant sub-inspector Tukaram Omble of Mumbai Police. The security forces in Mumbai were in complete control of the situation. But more than 160 people had lost their lives in this terrorist attack. In addition, the Maharashtra Police in the attack included Joint Commissioner Hemant Karkare (who was also the head of the Anti-Terrorist Squad at that time), Additional Commissioner of Police Ashok Kamte, Encounter Specialist Inspector Vijay Salaskar, Senior Inspector Shashank Shinde, NSG Commando Major Sandeep Unnikrishnan, NSG Commando Havildar Three railway officers of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus including Gajendra Singh Bisht were martyred.
Ajmal Kasab, the only terrorist captured alive, was booked under various Acts including the Arms Act, Unlawful Activities Prevention Act, Explosives Act, Customs Act, waging war against the country and various other sections of the Railways Act. Ajmal Amir Kasab was hanged on 21 November 2012 in Yerwada Jail. In this attack, retired soldier Tukaram Omble and assistant sub-inspector of Mumbai Police laid down their lives to capture the lone surviving terrorist, Ajmal Kasab. Omble was awarded the Ashoka Chakra for extraordinary bravery and gallantry in the line of duty. Jamaat-ud-Dawa leader Hafiz Saeed was the mastermind of the 26/11 Mumbai attacks. Pakistan continues to protect the mastermind of the Mumbai terror attack even today.