Tributes offered across city as Mumbai recalls 26/11 terror strikes

Floral tributes were paid on Wednesday at the city police headquarters by Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis to those who made the ultimate sacrifice in the 2008 Mumbai terror attacks.

At the martyrs’ memorial located in the premises of the Police Commissioner’s Office in south Mumbai, respects were also paid by Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar and state minister Ashish Shelar. Senior officials, including Maharashtra Director General of Police Rashmi Shukla and Mumbai Police Commissioner Deven Bharti, were present during the commemoration.

Homage was additionally paid by family members of the policemen who were killed while fighting terrorists during the attacks. A total of 18 police personnel, including senior officers such as ATS chief Hemant Karkare, Additional Commissioner Ashok Kamte and Encounter Specialist Vijay Salaskar, lost their lives while confronting the attackers.

The 26/11 attacks, one of the worst terror strikes in India’s history, began on the night of November 26, 2008, when ten Pakistan-based Lashkar-e-Taiba militants entered Mumbai via the Arabian Sea. Over the next 60 hours, the gunmen unleashed violence at prominent landmarks including the Taj Mahal Palace Hotel, Oberoi Trident Hotel, Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus (CSMT) and Nariman House. By the time the siege ended, 166 people were killed and more than 300 injured, leaving the city scarred and reshaping India’s counter-terrorism framework.

National leaders also remembered the victims and martyrs, with tributes shared by the Prime Minister, Home Minister and other central authorities, acknowledging the bravery of security personnel and reaffirming the nation’s commitment to combating terrorism.

Across Mumbai, tributes were paid at CSMT, Cama and Albless Hospital and other targeted locations. Respects were also offered at “Prerana Sthal”, the memorial dedicated to Assistant Sub-Inspector Tukaram Ombale, who lost his life while capturing terrorist Ajmal Kasab at Girgaon Chowpatty.

For many families of victims who perished in the attacks, the anniversary remains a painful reminder of their immeasurable loss. Loved ones left behind continue to grapple with grief, their lives permanently altered by the events of that night. While memorials honour the courage of the fallen, the emotional wounds carried by these families endure silently.

In the evening, a commemorative “Neverever” memorial and pledge gathering was scheduled to be organised by the National Security Guard (NSG) at the Gateway of India, with participation expected from families of the victims and citizens of Mumbai.