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IS INDIA PREPARED FOR ANOTHER ATTACK LIKE 26/11?

The ‘first anniversary’ of Mumbai carnage is within a couple of days.The city was held to ransom by ten terrorists who created havoc. It was initially thought that Mumbai Police would round up the attackers within a couple of hours. It was never expected that the 26/11 siege would last for 62 hours.

The terorists were armed to the teeth, had weaponry and stamina enhancing doses to last for four days. It was the National Security Guards, who were flown into Mumbai, who ensured that the situation could be brought under control at hotels Taj Mahal and Trident and the Nariman House. 

Chattrapati Shivaji Terminus

Two of the terrorists reached CST, the Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus, where 52 people were killed and 109 others injured in the indiscriminate firing. They are trained to work in pairs.

The Leopold Cafe, a popular restaurant and bar in South Mumbai, was one of the first sites to be attacked, after the C.S.T. Two attackers opened fired on the cafe on 26 November night, killing 10 people, and injuring many more. There were bullet marks left at Leopold Cafe walls, counters and show-cases.

The 26/11 attacks were well coordinated and conducted ‘shooting and bombing’ simultaneously across Mumbai.  There were explosions at Mazagaon, and in a taxi stand at Vile Parle. On 28 November, all sites except for the Taj Mahal Palace had been secured by Mumbai Police and security forces. 

Taj Mahal Hotel

The action by India’s National Security Guards on 29 November resulted in the death of the last remaining attackers, at The Taj Mahal Hotel ending the fight in the attacks. 

Hemant Karkare

The attacks which drew widespread condemnation, began on 26 November 2008 and lasted until 29 November, killing at least 173 people and wounding  308. 

In the process, several Police Officers namely Hemant Karkare, the Chief of anti-terror squad, and  Ashok Kamte, the brave-heart  cop, and the sharp shooter Vijay Salaskar, gave their lives to protect the people of Mumbai. They were courageous officers.  Ashok Kamte was known as a ‘one man Army’ in the Mumbai Police circles.

Major Sandeep Unnikrishnan

Major Sandeep Unnikrishnan, of the NSG commandos deployed in that operation, also fell to the bullets of the terrorists.

Are we prepared? 

If an attack like 26/11 were to happen again today, Mumbai Police is not prepared for that. We have wasted 12 precious months in passing the buck and playing blame game. The State Police is neither trained for an attack of such a magnitude, nor do they have sophisticated weapons to rebuff such an onslaught. 

Candle light vigil

It was not an assault on the people of Mumbai, it was an assault on our traditions and values by those whose basic aim was to disrupt peace. 

Candle light vigils were held in all the cosmopolitan towns of the country. 

 The repair work of the damage caused to Taj Mahal Palace hotel has cost Shri Rattan Tata, more than three million Rupees. 

Nariman House

At the Nariman House, a three year old child named Moshe, was saved by his Nanny, who hid with him behind a closet during the entire operation. The child lost his parents in the shoot out and is now living with his grand-parents in Isreal. The Nanny has been hailed as a hero. She has protected this child without caring for her own life. Throughout his life he will have to live with the enigmatic fact that his parents were killed in a terrorist attack and died for no fault of theirs. 

On 7 January 2009, despite repeated denials that the attacks were planned in their country, Pakistan’s Information Minister Sherry Rehman officially accepted Ajmal Amir Kasab’s nationality as a Pakistani.  Pakistan’s Interior Minister Rehman Malik, said that six people, including the alleged mastermind, were being held in connection with the attacks. 

What did the terrorists gain?  

They feel that they can kill in the name of God? Why? How do they get motivated to do such a heinous act? Is it money? Hunger? Unemployment or lack of education, or both?  But they knew that any amount of money paid would be insignificant if they are themselves killed. Why did they accept such an impossible proposal? 

Kasab

Mohammad Ajmal Amir Kasab, the only attacker who was captured alive, disclosed during trial that they were members of Lashkar-e-Toiba, the Pakistan-based militant organization and he has finally admitted in court  that he and his crew crash-landed their boat  in Mumbai with the express purpose of unleashing bone-chilling wave of terror. Hundreds dead, hundreds maimed and millions traumatized for life in that spine-chilling episode. 

Now that Kasab has confessed to his crimes against humanity, it’s time the special judge got busy and ensured that the trial was expeditiously completed.  I am aware that the case is sub-judice and the less said about it is better. 

But all the major charges against him merit the maximum penalty. He’s done it, let him hang for it. 

Those who live by the gun – should die by it. 

Ravi Matah

Tags: 26/11, Ajmal Kasab, Ashok Kamte, C.S.T., Hemant Karkare, Hotel Trident, Leopold Cafe, Major Sandeep Unnikrishnan, Mumbai attacks, Nariman House, Taj Mahal Hotel, Vijay Salaskar

This entry was posted on Monday, November 23rd, 2009 at 7:52 pm and is filed under News, Political. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.