Operation Black Tornado

Date: 26th November, 2008.
Location: 8th Block, Manipal.
Time: 11.00 PM


Me and my friends were preparing for our Sessional exams, when I received a call from a friend of mine, saying terrorists had attacked Mumbai. We all thought it was one of those Sessional rumours which we call RSS (Random Sessional S***) feeds, but as more and more inputs came in we realised it would be the blackest day for any Indian.

We stormed to the TV room at the top floor, where the Anna was watching some Kannada movie, flipped through the channels to CNN-IBN and looked at the horrifying Breaking News bar at the bottom of the screen. 'Mumbai Under Siege', 'Mumbai Attacked', 'Terrorists hold Mumbai hostage' flashed frequently. We were utterly shocked and speechless. None of us were uttering a single word.

As news kept coming in, on the locations of attacks, the number of terrorists and police forces trying to provide security, we started calling our dear ones in Mumbai. I called up my brother, and asked him where he was, who convinced me that he was safe and that the locations of attacks were far from his residence. One of my friend, whose family stays just beside the Taj, was relieved to hear his parents were safe, but were hearing constant gunshots and explosions.

The Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus, one of the busiest railway terminals in India, was one of the scene of ruthless attacks amongst, Leopold Cafe, the Oberoi Trident, the Taj Mahal Palace & Tower, Cama Hospital (a women and children's hospital), Nariman House, the Metro Cinema, and a lane behind the Times of India building and St. Xavier's College. Two of the ten terrorists who came through the waters into Mumbai, were at CST, and they indiscriminately opened firing at the passenger hall, killing more that 50 people. As it was the night time, long distance trains were scheduled to depart, and the station was full of people leaving and people who had come to see-off their relatives. One of the terrorist Ajmal Kasab, was captured on CCTV as well as on camera, who was later caught in an ambush by police personnel. Kasab and Khan were responsible for the death of police chief Hemant Karkare, encounter specialist Vijay Salaskar and ACP Ashok Kamte.

The Leopold Cafe famous for foreign tourists was one of the first sites to be attacked, where 10 people were killed. Two explosions in taxis killed 5 people. The Taj Mahal Hotel and Oberoi Trident,



both 5 star luxurious hotels, a place of noted dignitaries and known as the Gateway to India, was taken hostage by terrorists who fired random bombs and bullets indiscriminately. It was an uphill task for Black Cat Commandos, as they proceeded with Operation Black Tornado.

The Nariman House, is a Jewish center in Colaba where the terrorists had taken hostage a Jewish Couple, who were later murdered along with four others. The grandfather and the son of Rabbi Gavriel Holtzberg were rescued by a maid working there. Sensational images and videos kept pouring into through the news channels, which the terrorists used to their full advantage. NSG Commandos stormed through the building air-dropped into the roof and eliminated the
remaining terrorists with powerful explosions and snipers. A radio transmission from the handler to the attackers picked up this: "The life of a Jew is 50 times the worth a non-Jew".

By 27th Oberoi Trident and Nariman House had been cleared while the operation at the Taj continued till the morning of 28th, when the final three attackers were killed, and one of who was thrown out of the hotel.

Videos and images of this tragic attack at the most diverse city of this country were condemned and fury raged among each and every Indian. Everyone was feeling the same. It does leaves goosebumps even today, almost 2 years since the attack. Some lost their loved ones, some were relieved at the well being of their relatives.

When I went to Mumbai just three weeks after the attacks with my parents, we were moved and surprised by the indomitable spirit shown by Mumbaikars. I visited the Taj and Oberoi, which are now symbols of Mumbai's resilence, saw the shattered panes, looked at the immovable spirit of the crowd that goes into and comes out of CST and I just wondered, did the terrorists attack on our heritage or did they self-stab their own hearts.

26/11 has been one of the most tragic incidents in India. The aftermath of 26/11 produced "Force One", an anti-terror force and weaponry of Mumbai police have been upgraded. Security has been at an unprecedented high, but what the people of Mumbai showed was absolutely amazing. Mumbaikars came out in large numbers, formed a massive human chain symbolizing their fight against terrorism, the nation observed a 2 minutes silence, thousands of commuters rushing to their offices halted at CST for 2 minutes to pay respect to those affected by 26/11. We wore black bands to our college in memory of those who sacrificed for our country.

The spirit shown by Mumbaikars was simply unbelievable and unimaginably amazing. We must remember, but we must move on undeterred too. Perhaps the extraordinary story of 'Goli' may epitomize the spirit in which Mumbai and India observes this 26/11 anniversary.

The whole nation stopped for a moment, the whole nation was united for once, the whole nation prayed together for once, the whole nation shouted for once : "We will not go quietly into the night, we will not vanish without a fight, we are going to survive, we are going to live on, this day onwards we pledge to make India a real might, where might will reflect the strong undeterrable culture of humanity and sheer determinance to ward off the evil forces that try to penetrate into my motherland, Bharat."

Jai Hind.