26/11 Mumbai Attacks: Remembering Heroes Who Made Supreme Sacrifice of Their Lives While Fighting Pakistani Terrorists When Mumbai Was Under Siege

Exact 11 years back, on this day, India’s financial capital witnessed one of the most deadly attacks. On November 26, 2008, 10 heavily armed Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) terrorists entered into Mumbai via sea route from Pakistan and killed 174 people. They carried out a series of coordinated shooting and bombing attacks across the city. Over 300 people were also injured in the attack. 26/11 Mumbai Terror Attack: Mumbai Police Pays Tribute to Max, Sultan, Tiger, and Caesar - 4 Dog Heroes Who Saved Scores of Lives.

Terrorists targeted crowded and posh areas of the city, including Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus (CSMT), iconic Taj Hotel, Oberoi and Trident hotels. According to reports, 58 people were killed at the CSMT. Terrorists also entered CAMA hospital. A day after the terrorists took landmark Mumbai hotels hostage, National Security Guards (NSG) were called to evacuate. The operation ended on November 29. 26/11 Attacks: Mumbai Police Remembers Heroes With This Heartfelt Video Tribute on Twitter.

Here are Heroes Who Laid Down Their Lives While Fighting Terrorists During the Attack:

Tukaram Omble:

Tukaram Omble laid down his life while fighting terrorists during the 2008 Mumbai attacks, at Girgaum Chowpatty Mumbai. He played an instrumental role in capturing Ajmal Kasab – one of the 10 terrorists. A Decade of 26/11 Mumbai Terror Attack: What All Happened During Attacks and in Years to Follow.

Hemant Karkare:

Karkare was an Anti-Terror Squad chief when the 26/11 Mumbai attakcs took place. He and two other senior police officials - Ashok Kamte and Vijay Salaskar were martyred in an ambush outside CAMA hospital in Mumbai. Kasab and his partner Ismail opened fire on their police van.

Ashok Kamte:

Ashok Kamte was called from Chembur to part of the anti-terror operation against the LeT terrorists. He, along with Karkare and Saleskar were on the way to Cama Hospital, close to the CST station, when they were attacked by the terrorists. Their plan was to take terrorists head-on.

Vijay Saleskar:

Vijay Saleskar was part of the police team which was attacked by the terrorists outside the CAMA Hospital. Upon hearing the news of the attack, the three officers, along with other police personnel, decided to take on the terrorists head-on and immediately rushed together in the Toyota Qualis police vehicle. All the three officers retaliated and fought till the last breath.

Major Sandeep Unnikrishnan:

Major Sandeep Unnikrishnan was an NSG commando who led the Operation Tornado which was launched to evacuate terrorists from the Taj Hotel. He, and his team members, saved the lives of 14 guests and staff at the hotel. However, the officer was injured in the operation. Later he succumbed to bullet wounds.

Havaldar Gajender Singh:

Gajendra Singh Bisht, an NSG commando, was part of the Operation Black Tornado and sacrificed his life fighting the terrorists. He was part of the Parachute Regiment, the team that fought terrorists at Nariman House

Various events will be organised in Mumbai on the 11th anniversary of the attack to pay tribute to those who lost their lives. Last year, the first phase of a memorial dedicated to the victims of the 26/11 terror attack was inaugurated at the Nariman House in south Mumbai's Colaba area. Even after 11 years of the attack, Pakistan has not taken action against Hafiz Saeed -  the mastermind of the attacks.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Nov 26, 2019 07:55 AM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).