Heroes of 26/11 attacks include Major Sandeep Unnikrishnan, Tukaram Omble, Hemant Karkare, Ashok Kamte, Vijay Salaskar, Gajendra Bisht and common citizens like Karambir Kang and Mallika Jagad. All of them saved many lives with their courage and sacrifice.
Mumbai Attack: It has been 17 years since the 26/11 terrorist attack. On November 26, 10 terrorists entered Mumbai and terrorized the entire city. However, many people showed great courage in taking on the terrorists. Apart from NSG Major Sandeep Unnikrishnan, there were also Tukaram Omble, Hemant Karkare, Ashok Kamte, Vijay Salaskar and some civilians. Know the real heroes of 26/11 attacks who sacrificed their lives for the country. Many of these people were posthumously awarded the Ashoka Chakra for their work.
1- Major Sandeep Unnikrishnan
NSG Major Unnikrishnan was the team commander of 51 Special Action Group (51 SAG) deployed in the operation at the Taj Mahal Palace Hotel. He entered the hotel, rescued several hostages and continued fighting the terrorists single-handedly despite being injured. The Major had chased the terrorists up to the second floor. He had surrounded the terrorists before getting badly injured. His last words to his team were, “Don’t come up, I’ll handle them”.
2- Tukaram Omble
ASI Tukaram Omble of Mumbai Police faced two armed terrorists including terrorist Aamir Ajmal Kasab at Girgaum Chowpatty. He held the barrel of Kasab’s rifle with his bare hands. During this, he was hit by several bullets but he stood firm, due to which his team was successful in capturing Kasab alive. It was through this arrest that it was revealed that Pakistan had a hand in the terrorist attack.
3- Hemant Karkare
Mumbai Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) chief Hemant Karkare led the operation near Cama Hospital, where he and his colleagues encountered the terrorists. He was shot in the attack by Ajmal Kasab and Abu Ismail Khan and was martyred.
4- Ashok Kamte
Additional Commissioner of Police Ashok Kamte was known for his fearless attitude and negotiation skills. Kamte was with Karkare and Salaskar and was martyred in the same encounter near Cama Hospital.
5- Vijay Salaskar
Senior police inspector and encounter specialist Vijay Salaskar was the head of the anti-extortion cell. He also sacrificed his life for the country while fighting the terrorists along with Karkare and Kamte.
6- Gajendra Singh Bisht
Gajendra Singh Bisht was an NSG commando and Havildar (Sergeant) with 51 SAG. During the operation at Nariman House, he led his team to rescue the hostages and was injured by a grenade. Vishta continued fighting until he died.
7- Karambir Singh Kang
Common civilians and hotel staff also showed great bravery in saving lives. Among them, Karambir Singh Kang, general manager of the Taj Hotel, lost his wife and two sons in the fire that broke out on the sixth floor. Still he remained firm on his post. He helped the staff and security forces evacuate hundreds of guests safely.
8- Mallika Jagad
Mallika Jagad, 24, who worked as a banquet manager at the Taj Hotel, had closed the doors and lights and asked people to remain silent until the army arrived. In this way, he displayed extraordinary bravery and leadership ability and saved the lives of more than 60 guests.
9- Thomas Varghese
Thomas Varghese, who worked as a senior waiter at Taj’s Wasabi restaurant, made sure all the guests in his section left before evacuating himself. He was the last person to leave the restaurant, but was shot by terrorists in an alley.
10- Mohammad Taufiq
Mohammad Taufeeq Shaikh, popularly known as Chhotu Chaiwala, is one of those lucky people who narrowly escaped being shot by terrorists. Taufiq put the injured people on a cart at Mumbai’s CST station and took them to St. George’s Hospital and Byculla Railway Hospital. In this way Taufiq had saved the lives of many people.