Rich tributes paid to martyrs on third 26/11 anniversary

Mumbai, Nov 26 (PTI) Mumbai today paid solemn tributes to the victims and martyrs of the 26/11 terror attack on the western Indian metropolis on its third anniversary. There was no uncontrolled outburst of emotions, no photographs of martyred policemen peering down from massive hoardings in bustling streets and no smart parade by the anti-terror force as a sense of deja vu marked the remembrance events. Maharashtra state Governor K Sankaranarayanan, Chief Minister Prithviraj Chavan, his cabinet colleagues and top government functionaries paid homage to the men in uniform who gallantly laid down their lives in the line of duty and others felled by the 10 Pakistani terrorists. Wreaths were placed at the Police Memorial and a minute's silence observed in the memory of the 18 security personnel, including ATS chief Hemant Karkare, who made the supreme sacrifice during the three-day siege. Karkare's widow Kavita, Vaishali Omble, daughter of Tukaram Omble, the policeman who resolutely took the bullets in his chest but did not allow terrorist Ajmal Kasab to escape, and Smita Salaskar, widow of Vijay Salaskar, encounter specialist who was killed with Hemant Karkare, were present. The Police Memorial will remain open today for public to enable them to pay respects to the bravehearts. On November 26, 2008, Ajmal Amir Kasab and nine other heavily-armed gunmen, who arrived here by sea, attacked various places, including the Taj Mahal Hotel, Nariman House, Oberoi Hotel and Mumbai CST railway station, killing 166 people and injuring several others. Kasab, who was caught alive and sentenced to death by a trial court, is currently lodged in the high security Arthur Road Jail here. PTI Caption for pic: Policemen pay tributes to the victims of 26/11 Mumbai terror attack, to mark its 3rd anniversary, at the CST railway station in Mumbai on Saturday. PTI Photo