Can Never Forget…”: PM Modi pays tribute to victims of Mumbai Attacks

Prime Minister Narendra Modi, in his monthly radio address ‘Mann Ki Baat,’ solemnly commemorated the victims of the 2008 Mumbai terror attacks, characterizing it as India’s “most heinous” act of terrorism. Reflecting on the tragedy of November 26, PM Modi emphasized India’s resilience in the face of adversity, noting that while terrorists had violently shaken Mumbai and the entire nation, India, with its strength, had not only recovered from the attack but was also resolutely combating terrorism.

On that fateful day in 2008, ten heavily armed Pakistani terrorists orchestrated a series of coordinated assaults in Mumbai, targeting both civilians and security personnel. Armed with AK-47 assault rifles and grenades, they struck prominent locations, including the Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus railway station, the Taj Mahal Palace Hotel, the Oberoi Trident Hotel, and the Nariman House Jewish community centre.

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The gruesome attacks claimed the lives of 166 people, including 18 security personnel, and left hundreds injured. The terrorists, infiltrating the city via the Arabian Sea, inflicted widespread property damage, with estimated losses reaching crores. Among the casualties were prominent figures like the then Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) chief Hemant Karkare, Army Major Sandeep Unnikrishnan, Mumbai’s additional police commissioner Ashok Kamte, and senior police inspector Vijay Salaskar.

Security forces, displaying remarkable courage, neutralized nine of the ten terrorists during the attacks. The lone survivor, Ajmal Kasab, was captured and subsequently executed on November 21, 2012.

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President Droupadi Murmu also paid homage to the victims of the Mumbai attacks, urging the nation to renew its commitment to combat terrorism. In a poignant statement, she expressed the nation’s gratitude, remembering with pain the victims and standing in solidarity with their families.

President Murmu specifically honored the valiant security personnel who sacrificed their lives for the motherland, calling on the country to collectively renew the pledge to confront terrorism in all its forms.