On November 26, 2008, Mumbai was rocked by a series of coordinated terrorist attacks carried out by 10 members of Lashkar-e-Taiba, an Islamic terrorist organization based in Pakistan. These attacks, which took place at multiple locations across South Mumbai, came to be known as 26/11.
The attacks began on the evening of November 26th, as the terrorists entered Mumbai via sea. They hijacked a fishing trawler and killed the crew, then transferred to inflatable speedboats and landed near the Colaba area. They split into groups and used automatic weapons and grenades to attack civilians at numerous sites across the city.
Targets of the Attacks
Some of the major sites targeted included the Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus (CST) railway station, the Leopold Cafe, the Taj Hotel and Tower, the Oberoi-Trident Hotel, the Nariman House Jewish community center, the Cama Hospital, and the Metro Cinema.
The attacks went on for four horrifying days. It took intense operations from Indian special forces, Marine commandos (MARCOS), the National Security Guards (NSG), and police forces to neutralize the terrorists. By the end of the siege on November 29th, 166 people were left dead, including foreign nationals, and over 300 injured. The lone surviving terrorist, Ajmal Kasab, was captured alive and later hanged in 2012.
Impact on Mumbai & India
The 26/11 attacks had a profound impact on Mumbai and the nation. There was tremendous shock and grief in the aftermath. People questioned how such an attack could go on for so long without being stopped. The Indian security apparatus was blamed for massive intelligence failures and an inadequate response.
There were also calls for improvement in maritime and coastal security to prevent similar attacks via sea in the future. In response, the Indian Navy and Coast Guard enhanced patrols near vital installations and set up joint operation centers to coordinate action. The Mumbai Police also established elite Force One commandos to tackle terror threats.
The attacks highlighted the urgent need for stronger anti-terror laws. Existing laws were too weak and outdated. This led to amendments to update unlawful activities legislation. Information sharing between agencies also improved after being identified as a crucial gap.
Overall, 26/11 was a huge wake-up call that made India recognize state-sponsored terrorism as a key national security threat. It led to a harder line being taken against terror groups and the countries supporting them. Enhanced intelligence cooperation with western agencies was also a fallout.
Perpetrators and Motives Behind the Attacks
It was established that the Lashkar-e-Taiba terror group carried out the 26/11 attacks with support from some Pakistani intelligence officers. They used illegal Voice-over-IP services to communicate during the attacks and GPS devices to navigate.
The masterminds orchestrating from Pakistan included Lashkar chiefs like Zaki-ur-Rehman Lakhvi. Their goal was to target prominent landmarks in Mumbai to highlight the vulnerability of India’s economic capital and dent foreign investor confidence. Attacking foreign tourists and Jewish centers was also meant to increase international pressure on India.
Overall, the carefully planned carnage was intended to retaliate against India and highlight the Kashmir conflict. It sought to provoke a backlash against local Muslims and stir up tensions between India’s Hindu and Muslim communities as well. Thankfully, the aftermath did not yield the riots or unrest the perpetrators hoped to trigger.
Verdict on the Attacks
Ultimately, the Mumbai attacks left deep scars. Yet the city showed great resilience in the face of the terrorists’ aim to spread panic and disorder. The Maharashtra state government also offered brave constable Tukaram Omble’s family a job and compensation for his sacrifice in capturing Kasab alive.
A decade later, the demonic sights and sounds continue haunting survivors and victims’ families. Though scores were prosecuted, the key masterminds like Lakhvi are out on bail in Pakistan. Justice remains delayed and incomplete. However, the memory of those killed continues inspiring stronger vigilance and security to prevent more lives being lost to such acts of terrorism.
