New Delhi: As India observes the anniversary of the 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks, leaders, officials, and survivors paid heartfelt tributes to the victims of one of the nation’s deadliest terror strikes. Remembering the tragic events of 2008, senior BJP leader Prakash Javadekar said the horror of 26/11 remains unforgettable even after nearly two decades, underscoring the lasting impact of the attacks on the nation’s collective memory.
“No one can forget 26/11 even after seventeen years. The manner in which the attack was carried out and the way Pakistan spread terrorism was severe and horrifying,” Javadekar said, adding that the assault was among the most ruthless terror operations India had witnessed.
He noted that hundreds of people were killed and several police officers were martyred as the attackers targeted multiple locations in the city. “The Mumbai terror attack was ruthless… Hundreds of people were killed, several police officers lost their lives, and the attack took place at multiple locations, making it very different and deeply tragic,” he said.
Marking the anniversary, noted prosecutor and Rajya Sabha MP Ujjwal Nikam, who had led the case against Ajmal Kasab, also paid tributes.
“I can never forget this day in my life. This is the day when terrorists killed many innocent citizens of our country and several brave police officers. Why were they killed? There was only one reason, terrorism born out of hatred,” Nikam said.
He added that the attackers aimed to destabilise India economically by creating fear in Mumbai, the country’s financial capital. “The objective was that if people in Mumbai were frightened and foreign investors fled, India would be pushed into economic distress. But that did not happen,” he said.
On the occasion, Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, DGP Rashmi Shukla, and Mumbai Police Commissioner Deven Bharti are scheduled to pay homage to the martyrs at the Mumbai Police Commissioner’s office.
The 26/11 attacks, carried out between November 26 and 29, 2008, involved 12 coordinated strikes launched by 10 operatives of Lashkar-e-Taiba, a Pakistan-based terrorist organisation.
The assault left 175 people dead, including 26 foreign nationals, 20 security personnel, and nine of the ten attackers. The sole surviving gunman, Ajmal Kasab, was captured alive, convicted, and later executed.
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Taj Mahal hotel in Mumbai during the 26/11 terror attack. File Photo: Sandeep Mahankal/IANS
–IANS
