26/11 Mumbai terror attacks: President Murmu, Rahul Gandhi pay homage to victims; Shah emphasises zero-tolerance policy

President Droupadi Murmu, Home Minister Amit Shah, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, and Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi, all paid their tributes to the victims and brave security personnel on the 17th anniversary of the 26/11 Mumbai attacks.

President Murmu said that the nation remembers their supreme sacrifice with gratitude.

“On the anniversary of the 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks, I pay my humble tribute to the brave soldiers who sacrificed their lives to protect the people of our country.” She said, “Let us reaffirm our commitment to combat terrorism in all forms. Let us move forward together on the path of progress with a resolve to build a stronger and more prosperous India.”

Home Minister Shah stressed the central government's zero-tolerance policy against terrorism. He said this clear policy is receiving appreciation from across the globe.

Shah wrote on X: “On this very day in 2008, terrorists carried out a cowardly attack on Mumbai and committed heinous and inhuman acts. I pay my respects to the brave soldiers who sacrificed their lives while bravely facing the Mumbai terrorist attacks.” The Home Minister also offered his tributes to all the people who lost their lives in the “cowardly attack”. “Terrorism is not a curse for just one country, but for the entire human race.”

Rahul Gandhi also paid tributes to the soldiers and common citizens who were martyred in the terrorist attack in Mumbai on 26/11.

“India will never forget their courage, sacrifice, and martyrdom.”

26/11 Mumbai terror attacks

The coordinated attacks by a group of 10 terrorists shocked both India and the world. The attackers entered Mumbai on the night of 26 November 2008, via the sea, and over four days, they killed 166 people and injured 300 in some of the city’s busiest areas.

According to news agency ANI, the targets were deliberately chosen for maximum impact, including the Taj and Oberoi Hotels, Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus, the Jewish centre at Nariman House, Cama Hospital, Metro Cinema, and Leopold Cafe, locations frequented by foreign nationals and large segments of Mumbai’s workforce.

The tragedy left lasting scars on survivors and the families of the victims. Bullet marks at Leopold Cafe and Nariman House, the bust of Assistant Sub-Inspector Tukaram Omble, who sacrificed his life capturing the lone surviving Pakistani terrorist Mohammad Ajmal Amir Kasab, and the streets of South Mumbai all serve as reminders of the horrific attacks.

Nine of the LeT terrorists were killed during the attacks, while Kasab was captured alive. In May 2010, he was sentenced to death and was executed in 2012 in a maximum-security prison in Pune.