As the 26/11 Mumbai terror attack accused Tahawwur Rana arrived in India after being extradited from the United States, survivors of the deadly assault spoke out, reliving their pain and calling it a long-awaited step toward justice.
Rajita Kulkarni, who survived the attack with her husband, said, “Time seems to not matter when it comes to remembering your experience. It was a horrific incident for our country – an attack on our sovereignty. A terror strike that lasted 72 hours, in a city like Mumbai, at its economic core.”
She recalled that they were hosting a member of the European Parliament that day, who was supposed to stay at the Taj Hotel – one of the main sites attacked – but the delegation got delayed. “It was our good fortune they never made it,” she said, adding that she was rescued by NSG commandos the next day.
Calling Rana’s extradition a “monumental achievement for our country”, she thanked Prime Minister Narendra Modi, External Affairs Minister Dr S Jaishankar, the US Supreme Court, and President Donald Trump for making it possible.
“This is a huge day for all martyrs who sacrificed their lives, survivors and their families. I am quite sure it will bring justice,” she said.
Devika Rotawan, who was just nine years old at the time of the attack, recalled being shot at the Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus while trying to escape the gunfire. “I saw a man who had a big gun. He was firing at people aimlessly. One of the bullets hit my right leg when I was trying to run,” she said.
She was rushed to the hospital and later called to testify in court, where she identified Ajmal Kasab as one of the terrorists. “I can never forget what happened 17 years ago. I still have that bullet mark on my leg and it still hurts,” she added.
Speaking about Rana’s extradition, Devika said, “It’s a big development. His extradition will give India more information about the terrorists in Pakistan. He should be hanged to death.”
Mohammed Taufiq, a tea seller known locally as ‘chhotu chaiwala’, whose alertness helped save many lives during the attack, also reacted to Rana’s return.
“For India, there is no need to provide him with a cell, biryani, and facilities like those given to Kasab. There should be a separate law for terrorists, a system should be in place so that they are hanged within 2–3 months,” he said.
Sunita, another survivor who lost her husband at CST station, shared her ordeal: “In the terror attack, my husband was killed. We were at the railway station platform at the time of the attack. On hearing gunshots, initially, we thought it was the sound of firecrackers. When we tried to run away, my husband was hit by a bullet in his head. I ran with my children to save ourselves. I was also hit in the attack.”
