Remembering 26/11

On this Occassion of "26/11 Anniversary", UO shares its deep condolence to all the victims of 26/11. UO salutes those Brave Officers who laid down their lives fighting the terrorists and protecting Our Country.

Here is a brief outline of How the Whole tragedy happend...
STEP 1:
This is how the horror of terror resurfaced. On the night of Wednesday the 26th November, four gunmen entered the heritage hotel Taj Mahal Intercontinental from the east coast by boats and stationed themselves on the sixth floor. They created terror and panic by throwing hand grenades and started taking hostages- apparently all foreign nationals. As minutes passed, news spread that four gunmen had taken hostages even at The Trident Oberoi, another five star property facing the western coast. At a busy railway station – CST, Café Leopold, and Nariman House, gunmen started killing people. What looked initially like a gang war, eventually turned out to be a full fledged attack on the city that required the army, navy and National Security Guards to control the situation. Piecing the developments together as hostages and guests who survived came out we learnt that the gunmen who were heavily armed were demanding for foreign nationals with US, UK passports.


STEP 2:
Some guests recollected in horror that they saw the gunmen kill in cold blood. One survivor from Trident said, “I watched as one gunmen asked on the cellphone, “Should I kill?” Apparently the answer was yes as he started to fire. Every one ducked around under tables, behind walls and tried to get to the stairwells.” At Taj guests were safely evacuated to their other properties in the city. And this time they did not let out the identities of the guests. They were now on high alert.” The security in charge Sameer Angre at Taj Wellington mews said, “We have been concerned for the safety of our guests and now no one is being allowed.” At Taj President some of the guests were seen in the lobby sitting silently…just waiting to hear from their travel agencies to get their return tickets home.


STEP 3:
Outside these hotels, army men and National Security Guards and Mumbai police were still in charge, fully alert and awake even after a sixty hour ordeal. One army man who hails from the militancy ravaged state of Kashmir named Rakesh said, “All is now under control.” Operation Cyclone over he now wants to return home. He says, “We have not slept for a long time. We don’t know what day it is now.” An explosion goes off and an NSG braveheart is being led out with bleeding fingers for first aid. Elsewhere in an undisclosed location Jews are now looking after the two year old child of the Rabbi who had come from US to India. He and his wife were killed and their child was asking for maim (water) while the terrorists gunned down the entire Nariman House where Jews of the city live.


STEP 4:
In hospitals the scene is grimmer. A British lady Diane Murphy is lying in Jaslok Hospital while her husband is still in the ICCU in a critical condition. In JJ Hospital one German family has come tom identify the body of a male relative. A team of volunteers and embassy officials have helped load the four coffins being taken to Australia at the airport. One brave police officer Hemant Karkare’s funeral took place amid 21 gun salute. One encounter specialist’s last rites were performed day before yesterday. These are just some of the emotional stories that are unfolding in the aftermath of the cold killings.
[http://www.ehow.com/how_5610548_remembering-mumbai-carnage.html]