26/11 ~ Nation remembes its wounds and recalls its valiant saviours !!!

 

Many of us followed IPL Auction 2024 – can identify many a players and saw with interest that Bihar youngster Vaibhav Suryavanshi, a left-hand top-order batter, becoming  the youngest player to earn an IPL deal, worth INR 1.10 crore   from Rajasthan Royals (RR). 

 

Unlikely that most can identify nor remember this gentleman worth many a billions, valour of few like him saved the Nation and we are able to live peacefully and see IPL auction and other entertainment happily !! 

A visitor to Mumbai, may get down at Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus railway station, have a sip at Cafe Leopold, look on the way at Cama and Albless Hospital, pass through  big buildings and wonder whether an ordinary man can ever walk into Oberoi-Trident Hotel or the much inspiring  Taj Mahal Palace and Tower Hotel on the sea-front !  From every angle, the Taj Palace near the Gate way of India, the imposing arch monument on the Arabic sea erected  to commemorate the landing of King George V and Queen Mary at Apollo Bunder on their visit to India in 1911, prior to Delhi Durbar looks regal.          

                           The historic Taj Mahal Palace hotel first opened its doors to guests 121 years ago, on December 16, 1903. Located in Colaba, Mumbai, the Taj Mahal hotel, or the Taj Palace hotel, was the country's first ever harbour landmark. Over the last century or so, the hotel has played host to royalty, several dignitaries, and eminent personalities from all over the world. A popular theory states that Jamshedji Tata built the hotel because he was refused entry at Watson Hotel, one of the grandest hotels of that time, which was for 'whites only. It was the first Indian hotel that had electricity, American fans, Turkish baths, German elevators, and English butlers. Later, it became the first ever hotel in the city that had a licensed bar and India's first discotheque, called Blow Up. It was also the first Indian hotel to have an air-conditioned ballroom and an all-day dining restaurant.  In 1903, when it first opened to guests, a room with fans and attached bathrooms would cost ₹13.

 

 

On November 26, 2008, one of the most horrific terrorist attacks in Indian history, known as the 26/11 Mumbai attacks, unfolded in South Mumbai. Ten armed militants from the Pakistan-based terrorist group Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) infiltrated the city by sea and launched a series of coordinated attacks at prominent locations, including the Taj Mahal Palace Hotel, Oberoi Trident Hotel, Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj (CST) Railway Station, and Nariman House.  

The attackers, armed with automatic weapons and grenades, took hostages and engaged in intense shootouts with security forces, causing widespread panic and chaos. The brutal assaults lasted for nearly four days and resulted in 166 fatalities, including 18 security personnel, with over 300 people injured. The attacks, which targeted both civilians and security forces, became a defining moment in India’s battle against terrorism. The attack was carried out by Lashkar-e-Taiba, a Pakistan-based terror group, which executed a deadly assault on multiple locations across Mumbai.   

While most of the violence ended within hours, the attacks continued at three sites: Nariman House (a Jewish outreach center), the Oberoi Trident, and the Taj Mahal Palace Hotel, where hostages were taken. The siege at Nariman House ended on November 28, with six hostages and two attackers killed. The standoffs at the Oberoi Trident and Taj Mahal Palace concluded the following day.  Nine of the ten terrorists were killed in the operation, with one, Ajmal Kasab, being captured alive. Kasab was later put on trial for his role in the attacks, which included charges of murder and waging war against India. Although he initially confessed, Kasab retracted his statement during the trial. He was convicted in May 2010 and sentenced to death, with his execution carried out in 2012.  

In the aftermath of the 26/11 attacks, the Indian government took significant steps to strengthen its counterterrorism capabilities. On December 17, 2008, the Indian Parliament approved the establishment of the National Investigation Agency (NIA), a federal body dedicated to counterterrorism investigations, modeled after the U.S. Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI). Additionally, the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) was amended to introduce stricter measures for combating terrorism and enhancing investigative powers. The attacks also drew comparisons to the September 11, 2001 attacks in the U.S., as both incidents highlighted vulnerabilities in national security.   

A general search 2611 may take you to the iconic Train – Grand Trunk Express running from Madras to Delhi for 34h 25m – a distance of 2182 km at an average speed of 63 kmph.  The train had  nos. 2611/2612 – later changed to  12615/6 –  when the numbering system changed from Dec 2010.  

It was outright audacious and outraging that immediately following the 26/11, there were live TV coverages literally showing all the plan, place, men,material and strategy !!! how foolish and idiotic was that !!  Nation can never forget this day  26/11 when it was  under siege by militants from across the border. 

 

Today, we recall those horrific memories and more particularly pay homage to our heroes who saved the Nation giving their lives protecting us.  The man at the start - Naik Velu Satish, a braveheart from the ranks of Indian Army's MEG & Centre (12 Engineer Regiment).  Satish was part of small team from the 51 Special Action Group (SAG) of National Security Guard (NSG), that took control of the 4th Floor. He was conferred Kirti Chakra.  According to the Defence Investiture Ceremony (2009) citation records, it was Satish's utter disregard for his personal safety that helped locate the terrorists under fierce firing. He helped his Team Commander in creating an entry through the wall by planting improvised explosives.  Immediately after the wall blasted, Satish jumped inside the room and killed a terrorist from close range. He lost one of his buddies in the operation (Hawildar Jittender Singh), but Satish's stunning courage under fire made all the difference,” Army sources said, referring to records.

 
Regards – S Sampathkumar
26.11.2024