Remembering The Dark Day Of 26/11

The 2008 Mumbai (Bombay) attacks on were a series of attacks that took place on 26/11 (November 2008), when 10 members of Lashkar-e-Taiba, an Islamic militant organisation based in Pakistan, carried out a series of 12 coordinated shooting and bombing attacks lasting four days across Mumbai. The attacks, which drew widespread global condemnation, began on Wednesday, 26 November and lasted until Saturday, 29 November 2008, killing 164 people and wounding at least 308.

Eight of the attacks occurred in South Mumbai: at Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus, the Oberoi Trident, the Taj Mahal Palace & Tower, Leopold Cafe, Cama Hospital, the Nariman House Jewish community centre, the Metro Cinema, and in a lane behind the Times of India building and St. Xavier’s College. There was also an explosion at Mazagaon, in Mumbai’s port area, and in a taxi at Vile Parle. By the early morning of 28 November, all sites except for the Taj Hotel had been secured by Mumbai Police and security forces. On 29 November, India’s National Security Guards (NSG) conducted ‘Operation Black Tornado’ to flush out the remaining attackers; it culminated in the death of the last remaining attackers at the Taj Hotel and ending the attacks.

According to the sources, 10 people entered Mumbai by Inflatable boats and approached local fishermen for water. When enquired about their identities, they killed the fishermen and proceeded towards their journey to turn the city of Mumbai red. The attacks started at 20:00 [Indian Standard Time] and continued till late afternoon on 29 November 2008. Only one attacker named ‘Ajmal Kasab’ was caught alive and the other were killed in the rescue process. Kasab was eventually hanged later in the Yerwada Jail in 2012 after a long series of political discussions and public riots. Mumbai was in a dark phase since the commencement of these terror attacks till late 29 Nov afternoon. Many of the policemen and soldiers were martyred while trying to protect the city of dreams. Bullet sounds could be heard in many different parts of the city and the two main places which became the ground of corpses were Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus and Hotel Taj and Tower. Sources confirmed that the terrorists were using cell phones and a satellite phone to contact each other. Blood shed took place in many parts of the city and only a baby and a maid were rescued from the Nariman House. A few popular names among those who were martyred were Vijay Salaskar, Ashok Kamte, Hemant Karkare, Tukaram Gopal Omble and Major Sandeep Unnikrishnan.

Even today when we try to remember what we went through eight years ago, a cold chill goes down our spine. However it is a good thing that today we are better at our security and more connected to each other. Yo! Vizag salutes everybody who lost their lives on the tragic day and their families who suffered a huge loss on account of the city’s lack of security. We hope their families of the victims have sought and achieved closure. Jai Hind!