India pays rich tributes to Victims and Martyrs of 26/11 Attacks

Today was the 4th anniversary of the game of terror played on the soil of Indian City  Mumbai by a group of 10 Pakistani terrorists leading to 166 deaths and over 500 people injured in an 60 hours extensive battle.

To mark the occasion with peace and solidarity, various events were held at Bombay and other parts of Country.

Brief commemorative events were held at the Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus, the Taj Mahal Palace and Tower hotel, the Oberoi Trident, Leopold Cafe and the Nariman House, some of Mumbai’s most loved landmarks that were targeted during 26/11 Attacks.

The main function to remember the martyrs and victims of the terror strike, which began on Nov 26, 2008, and continued till the afternoon of Nov 29, was held at the Mumbai Police Gymkhana at Chowpatty where a permanent 26/11 memorial has been erected.

Maharashtra Governor K. Sankaranarayanan, Chief Minister Prithviraj Chavan, union Agriculture Minister Sharad Pawar and union Home Minister Sushilkumar Shinde laid wreaths and offered their homage at the memorial.

The family members and relatives of the martyred policemen and security personnel as also of other victims of the terror attacks, and some of the survivors were also present on the occasion.

Bollywood celebrities too spared some moments to remember the victims of 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks in 2008, and prayed for their souls to rest in peace.

Actors and technicians from the film industry took to Twitter to share their messages on the day. Here’s what they wrote:

Farhan Akhtar: In remembrance of all those who lost their lives and all those who sacrificed theirs. 26/11. We shall never forget.

Shahid Kapoor: 26/11. A prayer for all the lives lost. A day never to forget, and a day pray never to be repeated.

Sonam Kapoor: Pray for the lives lost.

Shankar Mahadevan: Remembering those innocent people, who lost their lives and their families whose lives changed forever. Pray for peace.

Raveena Tandon: 26/11. Lord. Bhagwan Allah?? Need I say more… RIP Prayers.

Tusshar Kapoor: No prayer is enough to express the emotion we have for our soldiers and civilians, who fought the 26/11 crisis, a tragic eye opener for Mumbai.

Aman Yatan Verma: Love and respect to all affected tragically on 26/11. May god give you peace and solace for your loss.

Rohit Roy: 26/11. Let us salute the men, who lost their lives saving us and put in a prayer for those who fell prey to the barbarians’ bullets… Jai hind.

Sarah-Jane Dias: My heart goes out to Mumbai. To those that lost their lives on 26/11/08. To the victims, soldiers and cops. To a city that lost its sense of invulnerability again.
Over the past four years, in an act of solidarity and thumbing their noses at terror, both Hotel Taj and Trident Oberai, barely a couple of kilometres apart, have seen top national and international VVIPs either visiting or staying there during their trips to Mumbai.

These included US President Barack Obama, US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and many other international personalities.

Over the past four years, both hotels have remained the top favourite venue for various national and international conferences, business summits and lavish weddings, though security measures have been considerably tightened.

Security measures in the city have been considerably beefed up four years since 26/11 and top officials claim Mumbai is “a lot safer and secure”.

“There are now CCTVs installed at all major public places, road junctions, important buildings, many railway stations, bus depots and other vital installations. At times, some may not work due to technical snags, but it is handled at the highest levels and rectified as soon as possible,” a top state home department official, requesting not to be identified, told IANS.

However, the official categorically refused to disclose the total number of electronic eyes watching over the city and cited “security reasons” for that.

Justifying the contention, the official said since 26/11 only one terror incident has taken place in the city – the July 13, 2011, triple serial blasts in south-central Mumbai which left 21 dead.

Elsewhere in the state too, there was only – the Feb 13, 2010 – Pune German Bakery blast with 17 casualties.