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Saturday, November 26, 2016

Remembering 26/11; saluting our bravemen who saved the Nation

Today is a day -  Nation can never forget -  26/11 –the day,  when it Nation  under siege by militants from across the border.  On 21st  Nov 2012, -  Ajmal Kasab, the living  face of Mumbai terror  was hanged, almost  4 years after that incident that shocked India and entire World. The Nation can never forget that dreaded  day in 2008 when  Kasab and nine Pakistani gunmen launched a bloody attack on multiple locations in south Mumbai. Kasab and another gunman attacked Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus in south Mumbai shooting train commuters. In this great Nation of ours, even the killer was given a fair trial – the entire legal process unfolded with Kasab being served food and he asking for Urudu papers and more.  India took  the trouble to conduct and ensure, that it believed in a proper justice system and would deal with attacks against its people according to the law.

The deadly terror attacks on Mumbai in 2008 numbed the entire nation. It changed the lives of many who witnessed the macabre dance of death and destruction on Mumbai's roads and inside the iconic Taj Mahal Hotel. On the eighth anniversary of the attacks, the citizens need to recall the gory of the 10 terrorists from Pakistan createing havoc in the city of Mumbai with more than 10 coordinated shooting and bombing attacks on hotels, a train station, a hospital and a Jewish community centre. It lasted for 3 long days, killing around 164 people and injuring more than 600 people.

It was on 21st  November, 2008 that ten terrorists left Pakistan in boat, and headed towards India.  They killed four fishermen and hijacked an Indian trawler, the Kuber and threatened the captain to sail to India on 23rd November. On 26th November, while they were 7km away from the Mumbai shore, the terrorists killed the captain, and headed towards Colaba in inflatable speedboats.

Today, reports state that Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis was among the dignitaries who paid homage at the 26/11 police memorial site at the Mumbai Police Gymkhana in south Mumbai. "I pay homage to the brave policemen who fought for Mumbai's safety and laid down their lives for us on 26/11. We are proud of them and we will strive hard for safety and security of our state," Fadnavis said. "We will strengthen police force with better equipment. It is our priority," he is quoted as saying. Floral tributes were paid to those who laid down their lives while fighting terrorists who had attacked the metropolis on this day eight years ago. The official commemoration was held at Police Gymkhana where Maharashtra Governor C.V. Rao laid a wreath and led the State in paying homage to all those who lost their lives in the terror attacks.  Also present were, Director-General of Police Satish Mathur, Mumbai Police Commissioner Datta Padsalgikar, Shiv Sena President Uddhav Thackeray. The guests also included the widows, orphans and other family members of the victims.

It anyone ever thought that terrorism affected only those who suffered personally or only those in Mumbai, our thinking is flawed. 

It is worth hearing Capt Raghu Raman speak on this : Capt on TerrorismCapt. Raghu Raman has  most unique career profiles spanning over 25 years. He spent eleven years as an officer in the Indian Armed Forces , followed by another eleven years in the corporate sector before joining the Government as CEO of the National Intelligence Grid.  We can take a lot of lessons from the army, but the most important one is leadership qualities. Raghu Raman, former CEO of the Indian National Intelligence Grid speaks at a Ted Talk at IIT-BHU, about the kind of on-the-ground decisions that the army had to take during the 26/11 terror attack in Mumbai and what we can learn about leadership from that.

26.1. 2008  – a sad day it was for the Nation.!
With regards – S. Sampathkumar
celebrations at Taj - after terrorists were flushed out !

PS: much of these you would have read elsewhere – yet this is another tribute by an ordinary citizen feeling melancholic for that fateful day.

[photos taken from web : Indian Express & apblive]

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