26/11/ 2008, 10 Lashkar-e-Taiba terrorists backed by the Pakistan Army unleashed terror across Mumbai for 60 hours. 166 lives were lost.
But amid the carnage emerged stories of extraordinary courage.The heroes who stood firm amidst terror. Both uniformed warriors and ordinary citizens who displayed uncommon valour.
Assistant Sub-Inspector Tukaram Omble Assistant Sub-Inspector Tukaram Gopal Omble stands as one of the most iconic heroes of 26/11. Stationed at a checkpoint at Girgaum Chowpatty with only a lathi (wooden baton), Omble confronted terrorist Ajmal Kasab, the sole surviving attacker, when Kasab pretended to be injured after his partner was neutralised. Despite being unarmed and facing an AK-47-wielding militant, Omble grappled with Kasab and held onto his rifle barrel, preventing him from firing at other officers. Though shot multiple times during the struggle, Omble's sacrifice ensured Kasab's capture alive, a breakthrough that exposed Pakistan's role in planning the attacks. ASI Omble was posthumously awarded the Ashoka Chakra, India's highest peacetime gallantry award, on November 26, 2009.
IPS Hemant Karkare On the night of November 26, while dining at his residence in Dadar, Karkare received a call reporting terrorist gunfire at Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus. He immediately mobilised to the scene. Learning that Additional Commissioner Sadanand Date had been injured at Cama Hospital, Karkare, along with Additional Commissioner Ashok Kamte and Senior Police Inspector Vijay Salaskar, proceeded toward the hospital in a Toyota Qualis SUV. As the vehicle approached the rear entrance of Cama Hospital, terrorists Ajmal Kasab and Ismail Khan emerged from behind a tree and unleashed AK-47 fire. Though Kamte managed to return fire and reportedly injured Kasab in the arm, the volley of bullets struck all three senior officers fatally. Karkare was hit by three bullets in his chest and succumbed to his injuries. He was posthumously awarded the Ashok Chakra on January 26, 2009.
Vijay Salaskar
A legendary encounter specialist credited with eliminating up to 80 criminals during his career, headed the Mumbai Anti-Extortion Cell before 26/11. He was driving the police Qualis SUV that night when it came under terrorist fire near Cama Hospital. Salaskar was accompanied by Karkare and Kamte when all three were killed by Kasab's volley of bullets. Like his colleagues, Salaskar was posthumously awarded the Ashok Chakra.
SI Prakash More Sub-Inspector Prakash Pandurang More, with approximately 20 years of service in the Mumbai Police, rushed to Cama and Albless Hospital when he received the deployment order on the night of the attacks. While responding to the crisis, More was struck by five bullets and was also the victim of a grenade explosion. He died from his injuries while bravely performing his duty. Sub-Inspector Prakash Pandurang More was posthumously honoured with the President's Police Medal for Gallantry.
Additional Commissioner of Police Sadanand Date Was one of the first responders to reach Cama and Albless Hospital. Around 9:30 PM on November 26, Date rushed to the hospital with six policemen, armed with a carbine and wearing a bulletproof jacket. He found two bodies at the entrance and soon engaged terrorists Ajmal Kasab and Abu Ismail in a firefight. Despite facing relentless gunfire from highly sophisticated AK-47 assault weapons, Date demonstrated exceptional tactical acumen. His team successfully rescued lift operator Chandrakant Tikke, who was being used as a human shield by the terrorists. During the confrontation, a grenade exploded just three feet away from Date, killing Sub-Inspector Prakash More and severely injuring Date. Despite profuse bleeding from multiple injuries to his eyes, throat, chest, right knee, and left ankle, including shrapnel embedded in his right eye, Date continued firing and managed to wound Abu Ismail. Though Kasab and Ismail escaped in the chaos, Date's 40-minute firefight bought precious time, prevented further attacks at the hospital, and delayed the terrorists long enough for them to be cornered elsewhere. Date's actions directly led to Abu Ismail's death and Kasab's capture.
Officer Praveen Kumar Teotia A former member of the Marine Commandos (MARCOS), was awarded the Shaurya Chakra for exceptional valour at the Taj Mahal Palace Hotel during the 26/11 attacks. That night, Teotia took five bullets during the intense firefight—including one that grazed his ear and another that fractured his ribs and damaged his right lung. Despite severe injuries and fighting in a dark, unfamiliar room with limited visibility, Teotia continued engaging the terrorists long enough for his team to rescue approximately 150 people from a nearby hall.
Thomas Varghese A senior waiter at Taj's Wasabi restaurant emerged as a hero of 26/11. When bursts of gunfire erupted and chaos began enveloping the restaurant, Varghese immediately instructed all guests to crouch down and take cover. With calmness in a crisis situation, he began evacuating them to safety, ensuring that every single guest left the restaurant before he did. By insisting on being the last to leave, Varghese prioritised guest safety above his own survival. However, as he exited the restaurant into the alley, terrorists shot him dead. His selfless sacrifice, ensuring all guests escaped safely while paying the ultimate price, stands as a powerful reminder of quiet heroism and the value of human compassion in the darkest moments.
Vishnu Zende
A suburban railway announcer at the Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus (CSMT), played a crucial but often overlooked role in saving countless lives during the attack on the railway station.
On the evening shift of November 26, when Zende heard explosions in the long-distance section of CSMT, he immediately recognised something was severely wrong. From his announcer's booth overlooking the station, positioned above the station master's office, Zende had a panoramic view of the platform. When he saw armed men walking with guns toward the suburban railway section, firing indiscriminately and throwing hand grenades, he realised it was a terrorist attack.
He immediately took to the public address microphone and announced in both Hindi and Marathi that passengers must exit the station from the rear end of the terminus, guiding them away from the terrorists and toward the emergency exits near platform number one.
"I told people to use the exit of platform number one and to not come forward as I could see terrorists walking in that direction. The passengers rushed out, following my instructions," Zende recalled.
The terrorists soon realised what Zende was doing and opened fire at the direction of the announcer's booth, shattering the glass window. Zende and his colleague ducked under their desks and escaped direct hits, though they heard the bullets striking nearby surfaces.
After the terrorists left CST, Zende, from his vantage point, then announced directions for railway personnel, cleaning staff, porters, and others to rush to the affected areas to help the injured.
He remained at CSMT throughout that night, providing guidance, and only returned home the next day.
While Zende's announcements saved the lives of countless suburban train passengers, the outstation section of CSMT, which received neither warning nor evacuation time, suffered approximately 60 deaths.
For every hero named here, dozens remain anonymous. The hotel staff formed human shields. The nurses at Cama Hospital who locked doors to protect mothers & newborns. The NSG commandos & MARCOS who fought in the dark. The Mumbai Police constables who rushed in with lathis against AK-47s. We may not know all your names, but we owe you our lives.
Major Sandeep Unnikrishnan
Major Sandeep Unnikrishnan, born on March 15, 1977, in Kozhikode, Kerala, was commissioned with the 51 Special Action Group (SAG) of the National Security Guard on January 20, 2007.
During the 26/11 attacks, Major Sandeep led his team into the Taj Mahal Palace Hotel to rescue 80 hostages trapped inside, with 240 others injured in the hotel.
Around 8:30 PM on that fateful night, his squad located hostages by hearing their cries as terrorists fired indiscriminately. Despite the darkness and relentless gunfire, Major Sandeep positioned his team outside the rooms where hostages were located. When one of his squad-mates was critically injured, Major Sandeep, disregarding his own safety, rescued the wounded soldier while taking a bullet to his right arm. Though wounded, he stormed inside alone to free the hostages, inflicting injuries on the terrorists but suffering fatal wounds in the process.
His final act was instructing his team not to follow him for their own safety. The NSG team, honouring his sacrifice, subsequently neutralised the cornered terrorists and rescued the hostages. Major Sandeep Unnikrishnan was posthumously honoured with the Ashok Chakra.
Havildar Gajendra Singh Bisht
An NSG commando with the 51 Special Action Group was martyred during operations at Nariman House (Chabad House). Despite heavy gunfire and grenades from terrorists, Bisht led his squad with exceptional courage and tactical acumen to rescue hostages, ultimately sacrificing his life in the line of duty. He was posthumously honoured with the Ashoka Chakra.
Assistant Sub-Inspector Tukaram Omble Assistant Sub-Inspector Tukaram Gopal Omble stands as one of the most iconic heroes of 26/11. Stationed at a checkpoint at Girgaum Chowpatty with only a lathi (wooden baton), Omble confronted terrorist Ajmal Kasab, the sole surviving attacker, when Kasab pretended to be injured after his partner was neutralised. Despite being unarmed and facing an AK-47-wielding militant, Omble grappled with Kasab and held onto his rifle barrel, preventing him from firing at other officers. Though shot multiple times during the struggle, Omble's sacrifice ensured Kasab's capture alive, a breakthrough that exposed Pakistan's role in planning the attacks. ASI Omble was posthumously awarded the Ashoka Chakra, India's highest peacetime gallantry award, on November 26, 2009.
IPS Hemant Karkare On the night of November 26, while dining at his residence in Dadar, Karkare received a call reporting terrorist gunfire at Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus. He immediately mobilised to the scene. Learning that Additional Commissioner Sadanand Date had been injured at Cama Hospital, Karkare, along with Additional Commissioner Ashok Kamte and Senior Police Inspector Vijay Salaskar, proceeded toward the hospital in a Toyota Qualis SUV. As the vehicle approached the rear entrance of Cama Hospital, terrorists Ajmal Kasab and Ismail Khan emerged from behind a tree and unleashed AK-47 fire. Though Kamte managed to return fire and reportedly injured Kasab in the arm, the volley of bullets struck all three senior officers fatally. Karkare was hit by three bullets in his chest and succumbed to his injuries. He was posthumously awarded the Ashok Chakra on January 26, 2009.
Additional Commissioner of Police Ashok Kamte
Served as the head of the Eastern Region, was the son of Lieutenant Colonel Marutirao Kamte.
On the night of November 26, Kamte sat in the passenger seat of the police Qualis SUV alongside Karkare and Salaskar as they rushed to support the injured Additional Commissioner Sadanand Date at Cama Hospital.
When terrorists Kasab and Ismail opened fire from close range, Kamte managed to return fire and reportedly injured one attacker, but the sustained AK-47 barrage proved fatal. He succumbed to his injuries and was posthumously awarded the Ashok Chakra.
SI Prakash More Sub-Inspector Prakash Pandurang More, with approximately 20 years of service in the Mumbai Police, rushed to Cama and Albless Hospital when he received the deployment order on the night of the attacks. While responding to the crisis, More was struck by five bullets and was also the victim of a grenade explosion. He died from his injuries while bravely performing his duty. Sub-Inspector Prakash Pandurang More was posthumously honoured with the President's Police Medal for Gallantry.
Additional Commissioner of Police Sadanand Date Was one of the first responders to reach Cama and Albless Hospital. Around 9:30 PM on November 26, Date rushed to the hospital with six policemen, armed with a carbine and wearing a bulletproof jacket. He found two bodies at the entrance and soon engaged terrorists Ajmal Kasab and Abu Ismail in a firefight. Despite facing relentless gunfire from highly sophisticated AK-47 assault weapons, Date demonstrated exceptional tactical acumen. His team successfully rescued lift operator Chandrakant Tikke, who was being used as a human shield by the terrorists. During the confrontation, a grenade exploded just three feet away from Date, killing Sub-Inspector Prakash More and severely injuring Date. Despite profuse bleeding from multiple injuries to his eyes, throat, chest, right knee, and left ankle, including shrapnel embedded in his right eye, Date continued firing and managed to wound Abu Ismail. Though Kasab and Ismail escaped in the chaos, Date's 40-minute firefight bought precious time, prevented further attacks at the hospital, and delayed the terrorists long enough for them to be cornered elsewhere. Date's actions directly led to Abu Ismail's death and Kasab's capture.
For his extraordinary bravery, Date was awarded the President's Police Medal for Gallantry.
On March 16, 2024, Date took over as the Chief of National Investigation Agency (NIA), bringing his decades of counter-terrorism expertise to India's premier counter-terror agency, where he now leads the prosecution of 26/11 conspirators like Tahawwur Rana.
Officer Praveen Kumar Teotia A former member of the Marine Commandos (MARCOS), was awarded the Shaurya Chakra for exceptional valour at the Taj Mahal Palace Hotel during the 26/11 attacks. That night, Teotia took five bullets during the intense firefight—including one that grazed his ear and another that fractured his ribs and damaged his right lung. Despite severe injuries and fighting in a dark, unfamiliar room with limited visibility, Teotia continued engaging the terrorists long enough for his team to rescue approximately 150 people from a nearby hall.
Thomas Varghese A senior waiter at Taj's Wasabi restaurant emerged as a hero of 26/11. When bursts of gunfire erupted and chaos began enveloping the restaurant, Varghese immediately instructed all guests to crouch down and take cover. With calmness in a crisis situation, he began evacuating them to safety, ensuring that every single guest left the restaurant before he did. By insisting on being the last to leave, Varghese prioritised guest safety above his own survival. However, as he exited the restaurant into the alley, terrorists shot him dead. His selfless sacrifice, ensuring all guests escaped safely while paying the ultimate price, stands as a powerful reminder of quiet heroism and the value of human compassion in the darkest moments.
K9 unit Max, Sultan, Tiger, Caesar
Four Mumbai Police sniffer dogs: Max, Sultan, Tiger and Caesar, were deployed in 26/11 as part of explosive detection and clearance teams, working repeatedly through blast and gunfire zones just like human officers. They are now remembered as “K9 officers” who stood beside the forces.
For every hero named here, dozens remain anonymous. The hotel staff formed human shields. The nurses at Cama Hospital who locked doors to protect mothers & newborns. The NSG commandos & MARCOS who fought in the dark. The Mumbai Police constables who rushed in with lathis against AK-47s. We may not know all your names, but we owe you our lives.
Comments
Post a Comment