New Delhi: Although 14 years have passed since the incident of the 26/11 Mumbai attacks, the families of those who sacrificed their lives to serve the nation still find it difficult to believe that their loved ones are gone.
The daughter of one such police officer, who died in the terrorist attack, told how difficult life has been without him.
“I try not to remember it, but of course, it is there everywhere. The people of the city have given a lot of love and compassion, which makes me and my mother live every day,” said the daughter, Divya Salskar.
Meanwhile, the family of Mumbai Police Constable Jaywant Patil cannot forget what the night of the incident cost them. “I lost my uncle, Jaywant Patil. Several years have gone by, and we still can’t forget it,” said Divya Patil, niece of the Mumbai Police Constable.
“But the government has at least remembered a lot of things, which is a positive note for us,” she added.
On November 26, 2008, over a dozen armed terrorists successfully planned attacks at several locations across Mumbai, especially in areas with huge crowds. On their list of targets were a hospital, a train station, a restaurant, a Jewish center, and two luxury hotels, including the Taj Mahal Palace.
Pakistani terrorists affiliated with the Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) stormed the Taj Mahal Palace and Oberoi Hotel and kidnapped Indian and foreign guests.
However, after the 60-hour-long operation, the Mumbai Police finally nabbed the Pakistan-backed terrorist Kasab, while nine others were already taken down by the Indian armed forces. During the incident, over 170 lives were claimed, including those of those who willingly sacrificed their lives to rescue civilians.
