On the 13th anniversary of the gruesome 2008 Mumbai terror attack, a lot of people have taken to social media recalling the incident and paying tribute to the martyred soldiers who sacrificed their lives while saving hundreds of people.
Several federal ministers, Bollywood actors, and others joined netizens on Twitter to pay homage to the victims of the 26/11 Mumbai terror attack and stressed the need to end terrorism.
While Indian President Ram Nath Kovind said that the nation will always be grateful for the bravery of security forces for saving so many lives, Home Minister Amit Shah slammed the cowardly attacks by terrorists.
India's External Affairs Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar posted a picture of the terror attack on the historic Taj Mahal Palace hotel.
Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) spokesperson Arindam Bagchi posted a video showing images of the horrific attack that left 29 foreign nationals dead, followed by reactions from Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and other political figures from all over the world who united to end terrorism and condemned the 26/11 Mumbai terror strike.
Calling them real heroes, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi also paid a heartfelt tribute to the martyred soldiers through a video showcasing the pictures of the security officers who lost their lives in the attack.
Minister Rajeev Chandrasekhar also posted an emotional video and said that the nation will never forget the horror of the 60-hour siege in Mumbai.
Bollywood megastar Amitabh Bachchan wrote an article for The Indian Express in which he said: "No single act of terror must be given the power to destroy the interconnectedness of our stories, our plural solidarities".
Several Bollywood stars, including Akshay Kumar, Vivek Anand Oberoi, filmmaker Madhur Bhandarkar, and others, also paid a heartfelt tribute to the security forces.
One of the survivors of the 26/11 Mumbai terror attack, Kamal Veda, recalled the horrific incident.
The Mumbai Terror Attack
The attack, which shook people across India in 2008, was carried out at different venues in Mumbai by 10 members of the Pakistan-based terror outfit "Lashkar-e-Taiba".
On 26 November, the terrorists entered Mumbai via a sea route and attacked several tourist places in different groups at around 9:30 p.m. local time (4:00 p.m. GMT).
In the 60-hour siege involving several Mumbai police officers, army officers, and black commandos, a total of 175 people were killed, including 9 terrorists, 20 security personnel, and 29 foreigners, while over 300 others were left injured.
Out of 10 assailants, one terrorist - Ajmal Kasab - was captured alive on 27 November. He was put on trial and a court sentenced him to death on 6 May 2010.
The sentence was upheld by the Bombay High Court on 21 February 2011. Later, the Supreme Court of India, where Kasab had filed an appeal, also upheld the death sentence on 29 August 2012.
After the president of India also rejected his mercy petition on 5 November 2012, Kasab was finally hanged in Yerawada Jail in Pune, Maharashtra, on 21 November 2012.