The Nation pays rich tribute to the martyrs of 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks on its 11th anniversary today. Various events and meetings have been organised in and out of Mumbai to remember the martyrs and honour the survivors. Vice President M Venkaiah Naidu yesterday paid tributes to the martyrs of the terror attack.
On November 26, 2008 Mumbai was attacked by 10 Pakistan-based Lashkar-e-Taiba terrorists. In the deadliest terror attacks, that continued for the next three days 166 people including 18 police officers and two NSG commandos were killed. On the eve of the anniversary day, security personnel and citizens paid homage to the 26/11 heroes in an event, organised by Police Mitra Sanghatana.
On Instagram today, Industrialist Ratan Tata posted a picture of him standing outside Taj. In the post, he praised the indomitable spirit of Mumbai and said that the city will never forget the scars and will “remain proud of the spirit and the sense of unity”.
In the post he wrote, “11 years later, a lot has been said about the tragedy that commenced on 26/11/2008. The memory of standing outside helpless and of the carnage and loss of life, are still fresh and painful. We will not forget the scars and the needless suffering caused at the hospital, the railway station, the hotels and across the city. But most importantly, we remain proud of the spirit and the sense of unity displayed by Mumbai in all its power on that day. I will say it again: We can be hurt, but not knocked out.”
The hotel Taj Mahal, which was built by Ratan Tata’s great-grandfather, Jamsetji Tata, was the major targets of the 26/11 attacks.
Speaking to media, Mumbai’s Police Commissioner Sanjay Barve says in comparison to 2008, the city police is now fully equipped to handle such situations. “Police personnel and Quick Response Teams are nowadays trained to handle urban terrorism to ensure the city never faces such a threat in future,” Barve told media. He added that Mumbai Police is now the strongest force of the country in terms of training, use of modernised technology and highly sophisticated equipment. He said coordination between multiple agencies tasked with keeping the metropolis secure has also increased.
