Indian Navy MARCOS: The unsung heroes of 26/11 Mumbai attacks

[ayesha.a]

Indian Navy MARCOS: The unsung heroes of 26/11 Mumbai attacks

The 26/11 Mumbai attacks were witness to extraordinary acts of raw courage. Ordinary civilians and security forces matched their wits against rampaging terrorists programmed to kill as many people as they could.

The unflappable railway announcer Vishnu Zende who calmly asked passengers to evacuate the CST station from a rear exit; assistant police inspector Tukaram Omble who heroically grappled with the armed terrorist Ajmal Kasab and died trying to take him alive. But nowhere was the intervention so timely and critical than at the Taj Mahal hotel. Four terrorists who entered the hotel at close to 10pm on November 26, 2008, had a free run through the hotel for nearly six hours, shooting anything that moved. The Mumbai Police, shaken by the ferocity of the multi-pronged assault on the city were dazed. The terrorists, meanwhile, guided by their Karachi-based handlers, jogged to the heritage wing of the Taj Mahal hotel with the largest suites. The control room set up by the Lashkar-e-Taiba in Karachi’s Malir Cantonment was equipped with Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) phones that allowed them to speak to the ten terrorists, and, rather portentously, four TV screens were tuned to Indian news channels.

Not in their wildest dreams could the diabolical masterminds have expected the extent of information that Indian television channels would relay that night. They first instructed the terrorists to set fire to the heritage wing of the Taj, and then whooped in delight as they saw TV visuals of flames licking the top floors of the Taj.

The masterminds were ecstatic after midnight when Indian TV channels had contacted a few MPs trapped at the Taj. Soon after the terrorists attacked the hotel, hotel staff had bundled away nearly 200 hotel guests, including invitees at a wedding reception and MPs, into "The Chambers", a members-only club above the Taj lobby.

Also read: How voices caused greater damage than bullets during 26/11

The staff fed and tended the guests whom they placed in the safety of five function rooms of "The Chambers" and waited for the right time to break out to safety. Here, the MPs rashly narrated their plight, on live national TV.At around 3am the masterminds relayed what they had learned, to the four terrorists. “Three ministers and one secretary of the Cabinet are in your hotel. We don’t know in which room,” the handler told the terrorist at the Taj. “Find those three-four persons and then get whatever you want from India.”

This, heartbreakingly, was the precise moment some survivors chose to emerge from their hideaway. The terrorists ran into their quarry and began firing indiscriminately. There were screams, and a stampede. Fifteen guests and hotel staff were scythed down by AK-47 bullets. Seven others lay on the floors, grievously injured. The remaining guests fled back into their sanctuaries and barricaded the doors. The terrorists began clawing at the doors like a school of sharks around seals.

CCTV grab of MARCOS engaging the terrorists at The Taj Chambers on the night of 26/11.

It was only a matter of time before they broke in. This is when the crucial turning point of 26/11 came. Eight Indian Navy Marine Commandos (MARCOS) arrived at the scene. They navigated through the smoke-filled corridors, past the bodies of the dead and the dying and the eerie stone corridors resonating with the trilling of cellphones. The MARCOS were among the fittest Indian special forces, trained to operate in all three dimensions and equipped with bulletproof jackets, AK-47s and MP5 submachine guns. A gunfight broke out between the four terrorists and the commandos. The terrorists "broke contact", retreating into "The Chambers Library" that faced the Gateway of India. The commandos pursued them into the library where a second gunfight broke out and two commandos were injured. The commandos retrieved their injured and covered what they thought was the only entrance into the library. They tossed tear gas canisters inside to flush the terrorists out. They entered the library an hour later but there was no sign of the terrorists. Unbeknownst to them, there was an exit through the kitchen which the terrorists used to run back into the heritage wing. The terrorists had inadvertently depleted their arsenal — they left a haversack behind with grenades and ammunition as they fled.

The commandos now focused on rescuing the hapless guests trapped in the various function rooms. The MARCOS, usually deployed for the safety of oil installations or to counter pirates on the high seas, had reached the Taj by a series of coincidences. Their existence was revealed to Maharashtra chief secretary Johny Joseph by a naval officer friend. It allowed Joseph to place an urgent and specific request to the Navy: a request that was swiftly acceded to and was the game-changer that night. One hundred and sixty five persons died in the 26/11 attacks. But for the timely MARCOS intervention, the toll, as we know it, could have been far, far higher. It was the single most heroic act on the night of the 26/11 attacks.

 

[maxpayne]

Indian Navy MARCOS: The unsung heroes of 26/11 Mumbai attacks

The 26/11 Mumbai attacks were witness to extraordinary acts of raw courage. Ordinary civilians and security forces matched their wits against rampaging terrorists programmed to kill as many people as they could.

The unflappable railway announcer Vishnu Zende who calmly asked passengers to evacuate the CST station from a rear exit; assistant police inspector Tukaram Omble who heroically grappled with the armed terrorist Ajmal Kasab and died trying to take him alive. But nowhere was the intervention so timely and critical than at the Taj Mahal hotel. Four terrorists who entered the hotel at close to 10pm on November 26, 2008, had a free run through the hotel for nearly six hours, shooting anything that moved. The Mumbai Police, shaken by the ferocity of the multi-pronged assault on the city were dazed. The terrorists, meanwhile, guided by their Karachi-based handlers, jogged to the heritage wing of the Taj Mahal hotel with the largest suites. The control room set up by the Lashkar-e-Taiba in Karachi’s Malir Cantonment was equipped with Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) phones that allowed them to speak to the ten terrorists, and, rather portentously, four TV screens were tuned to Indian news channels.

Not in their wildest dreams could the diabolical masterminds have expected the extent of information that Indian television channels would relay that night. They first instructed the terrorists to set fire to the heritage wing of the Taj, and then whooped in delight as they saw TV visuals of flames licking the top floors of the Taj.

The masterminds were ecstatic after midnight when Indian TV channels had contacted a few MPs trapped at the Taj. Soon after the terrorists attacked the hotel, hotel staff had bundled away nearly 200 hotel guests, including invitees at a wedding reception and MPs, into "The Chambers", a members-only club above the Taj lobby.

Also read: How voices caused greater damage than bullets during 26/11

The staff fed and tended the guests whom they placed in the safety of five function rooms of "The Chambers" and waited for the right time to break out to safety. Here, the MPs rashly narrated their plight, on live national TV.At around 3am the masterminds relayed what they had learned, to the four terrorists. “Three ministers and one secretary of the Cabinet are in your hotel. We don’t know in which room,” the handler told the terrorist at the Taj. “Find those three-four persons and then get whatever you want from India.”

This, heartbreakingly, was the precise moment some survivors chose to emerge from their hideaway. The terrorists ran into their quarry and began firing indiscriminately. There were screams, and a stampede. Fifteen guests and hotel staff were scythed down by AK-47 bullets. Seven others lay on the floors, grievously injured. The remaining guests fled back into their sanctuaries and barricaded the doors. The terrorists began clawing at the doors like a school of sharks around seals.

CCTV grab of MARCOS engaging the terrorists at The Taj Chambers on the night of 26/11.

It was only a matter of time before they broke in. This is when the crucial turning point of 26/11 came. Eight Indian Navy Marine Commandos (MARCOS) arrived at the scene. They navigated through the smoke-filled corridors, past the bodies of the dead and the dying and the eerie stone corridors resonating with the trilling of cellphones. The MARCOS were among the fittest Indian special forces, trained to operate in all three dimensions and equipped with bulletproof jackets, AK-47s and MP5 submachine guns. A gunfight broke out between the four terrorists and the commandos. The terrorists "broke contact", retreating into "The Chambers Library" that faced the Gateway of India. The commandos pursued them into the library where a second gunfight broke out and two commandos were injured. The commandos retrieved their injured and covered what they thought was the only entrance into the library. They tossed tear gas canisters inside to flush the terrorists out. They entered the library an hour later but there was no sign of the terrorists. Unbeknownst to them, there was an exit through the kitchen which the terrorists used to run back into the heritage wing. The terrorists had inadvertently depleted their arsenal — they left a haversack behind with grenades and ammunition as they fled.

The commandos now focused on rescuing the hapless guests trapped in the various function rooms. The MARCOS, usually deployed for the safety of oil installations or to counter pirates on the high seas, had reached the Taj by a series of coincidences. Their existence was revealed to Maharashtra chief secretary Johny Joseph by a naval officer friend. It allowed Joseph to place an urgent and specific request to the Navy: a request that was swiftly acceded to and was the game-changer that night. One hundred and sixty five persons died in the 26/11 attacks. But for the timely MARCOS intervention, the toll, as we know it, could have been far, far higher. It was the single most heroic act on the night of the 26/11 attacks.

And then you wake up sweating!

 

[Talwar e Pakistan]

Indian Navy MARCOS: The unsung heroes of 26/11 Mumbai attacks

The 26/11 Mumbai attacks were witness to extraordinary acts of raw courage. Ordinary civilians and security forces matched their wits against rampaging terrorists programmed to kill as many people as they could.

The unflappable railway announcer Vishnu Zende who calmly asked passengers to evacuate the CST station from a rear exit; assistant police inspector Tukaram Omble who heroically grappled with the armed terrorist Ajmal Kasab and died trying to take him alive. But nowhere was the intervention so timely and critical than at the Taj Mahal hotel. Four terrorists who entered the hotel at close to 10pm on November 26, 2008, had a free run through the hotel for nearly six hours, shooting anything that moved. The Mumbai Police, shaken by the ferocity of the multi-pronged assault on the city were dazed. The terrorists, meanwhile, guided by their Karachi-based handlers, jogged to the heritage wing of the Taj Mahal hotel with the largest suites. The control room set up by the Lashkar-e-Taiba in Karachi’s Malir Cantonment was equipped with Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) phones that allowed them to speak to the ten terrorists, and, rather portentously, four TV screens were tuned to Indian news channels.

Not in their wildest dreams could the diabolical masterminds have expected the extent of information that Indian television channels would relay that night. They first instructed the terrorists to set fire to the heritage wing of the Taj, and then whooped in delight as they saw TV visuals of flames licking the top floors of the Taj.

The masterminds were ecstatic after midnight when Indian TV channels had contacted a few MPs trapped at the Taj. Soon after the terrorists attacked the hotel, hotel staff had bundled away nearly 200 hotel guests, including invitees at a wedding reception and MPs, into "The Chambers", a members-only club above the Taj lobby.

Also read: How voices caused greater damage than bullets during 26/11

The staff fed and tended the guests whom they placed in the safety of five function rooms of "The Chambers" and waited for the right time to break out to safety. Here, the MPs rashly narrated their plight, on live national TV.At around 3am the masterminds relayed what they had learned, to the four terrorists. “Three ministers and one secretary of the Cabinet are in your hotel. We don’t know in which room,” the handler told the terrorist at the Taj. “Find those three-four persons and then get whatever you want from India.”

This, heartbreakingly, was the precise moment some survivors chose to emerge from their hideaway. The terrorists ran into their quarry and began firing indiscriminately. There were screams, and a stampede. Fifteen guests and hotel staff were scythed down by AK-47 bullets. Seven others lay on the floors, grievously injured. The remaining guests fled back into their sanctuaries and barricaded the doors. The terrorists began clawing at the doors like a school of sharks around seals.

CCTV grab of MARCOS engaging the terrorists at The Taj Chambers on the night of 26/11.

It was only a matter of time before they broke in. This is when the crucial turning point of 26/11 came. Eight Indian Navy Marine Commandos (MARCOS) arrived at the scene. They navigated through the smoke-filled corridors, past the bodies of the dead and the dying and the eerie stone corridors resonating with the trilling of cellphones. The MARCOS were among the fittest Indian special forces, trained to operate in all three dimensions and equipped with bulletproof jackets, AK-47s and MP5 submachine guns. A gunfight broke out between the four terrorists and the commandos. The terrorists "broke contact", retreating into "The Chambers Library" that faced the Gateway of India. The commandos pursued them into the library where a second gunfight broke out and two commandos were injured. The commandos retrieved their injured and covered what they thought was the only entrance into the library. They tossed tear gas canisters inside to flush the terrorists out. They entered the library an hour later but there was no sign of the terrorists. Unbeknownst to them, there was an exit through the kitchen which the terrorists used to run back into the heritage wing. The terrorists had inadvertently depleted their arsenal — they left a haversack behind with grenades and ammunition as they fled.

The commandos now focused on rescuing the hapless guests trapped in the various function rooms. The MARCOS, usually deployed for the safety of oil installations or to counter pirates on the high seas, had reached the Taj by a series of coincidences. Their existence was revealed to Maharashtra chief secretary Johny Joseph by a naval officer friend. It allowed Joseph to place an urgent and specific request to the Navy: a request that was swiftly acceded to and was the game-changer that night. One hundred and sixty five persons died in the 26/11 attacks. But for the timely MARCOS intervention, the toll, as we know it, could have been far, far higher. It was the single most heroic act on the night of the 26/11 attacks.

There were no heroes in the mumbai attack; a platoon of policemen fled when TWO armed children were attacking the railway; those TWO armed children also managed to hi-jack a a police car filled with high ranking armed policemen. 9 Children managed to hold down a hotel for 3 days despite people begging for help through their outside windows and hundreds of policemen and soldiers just watch helplessly. It was a shame.

 

[Chanakyaa]

There were no heroes in the mumbai attack; a platoon of policemen fled when TWO armed children were attacking the railway; those TWO armed children also managed to hi-jack a a police car filled with high ranking armed policemen. 9 Children managed to hold down a hotel for 3 days despite people begging for help through their outside windows and hundreds of policemen and soldiers just watch helplessly. It was a shame.

Of Course it Was. Similar to 9/11 and the Recent Paris Attacks.
I wonder what is More shampful, the people who commited these Crimes or Idiots like you mocking over them.

 

[anant_s]

Staff of Taj were probably the biggest Heroes of that night. Taking nothing away from brave men of security forces, it must be noted that the hotel staff was never trained for such a disaster but had common sense and respect for duty to protect their guests at all cost and as it is widely acknowledged that their actions allowed security forces to buy time and strategize.
As an old idiom goes in our country अतिथि देवो भवः (My Guest must be treated as my God).
Those brave men and women of Taj just displayed that terrible night, just how to do it, even if it meant paying it by their own lives.
No wonder reputation of legendary The Taj has went even higher.

 

[GR!FF!N]

And then you wake up sweating!

Nope.It was something else

only handful left with faces that can be published.For others,You know what a 7.62 mm and Karl Gustaf does to a person,right??

 

[ayesha.a]

There were no heroes in the mumbai attack; a platoon of policemen fled when TWO armed children were attacking the railway; those TWO armed children also managed to hi-jack a a police car filled with high ranking armed policemen. 9 Children managed to hold down a hotel for 3 days despite people begging for help through their outside windows and hundreds of policemen and soldiers just watch helplessly. It was a shame.

Please answer just one question - why do you call them "children"?

They were highly trained, almost as well trained as the NSG. They were armed with military grade weapons. They attacked a thickly populated city from five different points, and were highly mobile.

Referring to them as "children" is a way to poison the well of the discourse, to pretend that they were amateurs.

Despite attacking such a crowded city of several million people, despite the grenades and bombs, despite them shooting at morning commuters in CST railway station during peak hour, the total number of lives lost was 186. That is 186 too many, but it is still a remarkable achievement by the ill equipped police forces and the elite commandos. Everybody from the head of the ATF, the police commissioner, the elite commandos, the Railway Protection force, the humble constables of Mumbai police, the fire brigade, all of them gave up their lives to make sure that the number of lives lost was as low as possible.

In Pakistan, terrorists - strike that - CHILDREN attack army and naval and air force bases with impunity. Visiting cricket teams, assured of "presidential security" by the president, get attacked, and the perpetrators go home for dinner. The GHQ is taken over by CHILDREN.

You really think you ought to be lecturing India about CT operations?

Oh and by the way - please give a source for the ridiculous assertion about "a platoon of policemen" running away from children. The facts on the ground are that ill equipped police officers lead from the front, and gave up their lives - the head of the ATF, for instance, who put on his uniform and rushed in despite being off duty; or the police commissioner, who rushed in with his sidearm, and sacrificed himself to stop the terrorist duo; and unarmed constables tackled the highly armed terrorists in complete disregard for their own lives, as Tukaram Omble did, which gave us a living Pakistani specimen to expose. Heck, even the waiters and bellboys of the Taj hotel acted heroically. The manager on duty lost his life, while escorting guests to safety. (Compare that with the attack on the Sri Lankan team in Lahore, when elite commandos disappeared at the sound of the first shot.) Even the staff at the two hotels that day showed more courage and integrity than your uniformed personnel have done on similar occasions.

It was a tribute to everybody involved, from black cats to MARCOS to police constables to firefighters to waiters and bellboys, that we kept the damage minimal. I know that the perpetrators are big heroes for you, and that incident was one of your proudest achievements, but still you should give credit where it is due.

 

[anant_s]

why do you call them "children"?

because calling them NON STATE ACTORS is too Mainstream
Guruji (@GURU DUTT ) will tell more about this!

 

[utraash]

There were no heroes in the mumbai attack; a platoon of policemen fled when TWO armed children were attacking the railway; those TWO armed children also managed to hi-jack a a police car filled with high ranking armed policemen. 9 Children managed to hold down a hotel for 3 days despite people begging for help through their outside windows and hundreds of policemen and soldiers just watch helplessly. It was a shame.

Pakistan is in different league which make hero/philanthropist out of terrorists.....

 

[Abingdonboy]

There were no heroes in the mumbai attack; a platoon of policemen fled when TWO armed children were attacking the railway; those TWO armed children also managed to hi-jack a a police car filled with high ranking armed policemen. 9 Children managed to hold down a hotel for 3 days despite people begging for help through their outside windows and hundreds of policemen and soldiers just watch helplessly. It was a shame.

Calling them Children is a rather self-defeating exercise. If the same logic was applied to your "bad terrorists" then your entire nation is burning because of "children" is it not?

These were highly trained (by your military establishment and even some elite units like the SSGN apparently) terrorists who infilitrated into a foreign nation using the coast- no rag-tag idiots could do this.

Staff of Taj were probably the biggest Heroes of that night. Taking nothing away from brave men of security forces, it must be noted that the hotel staff was never trained for such a disaster but had common sense and respect for duty to protect their guests at all cost and as it is widely acknowledged that their actions allowed security forces to buy time and strategize.
As an old idiom goes in our country अतिथि देवो भवः (My Guest must be treated as my God).
Those brave men and women of Taj just displayed that terrible night, just how to do it, even if it meant paying it by their own lives.
No wonder reputation of legendary The Taj has went even higher.

No point in trying to rank levels of heroism sir, hundreds of people (police, NSG, MARCOs, fire brigade, hotel staff, nannys, guests etc) acted in ways we would all hope we would in such a situation but still seem unfathomable.

 

[Talwar e Pakistan]

Calling them Children is a rather self-defeating exercise. If the same logic was applied to your "bad terrorists" then your entire nation is burning because of "children" is it not?

These were highly trained (by your military establishment and even some elite units like the SSGN apparently) terrorists who infilitrated into a foreign nation using the coast- no rag-tag idiots could do this.

Pakistan army never trained them, i suggest you watch the interogation video. They were given 3 months of training of which most of it was about "Islam".
I don't think these look like children to you; most of them are battle hardened from the Afghan war with America and the Soviet union. Our Soldiers are able to shred through them within half an hour, unlike Indians who take 3 days.

Please answer just one question - why do you call them "children"?

They were highly trained, almost as well trained as the NSG. They were armed with military grade weapons. They attacked a thickly populated city from five different points, and were highly mobile.

Referring to them as "children" is a way to poison the well of the discourse, to pretend that they were amateurs.

Despite attacking such a crowded city of several million people, despite the grenades and bombs, despite them shooting at morning commuters in CST railway station during peak hour, the total number of lives lost was 186. That is 186 too many, but it is still a remarkable achievement by the ill equipped police forces and the elite commandos. Everybody from the head of the ATF, the police commissioner, the elite commandos, the Railway Protection force, the humble constables of Mumbai police, the fire brigade, all of them gave up their lives to make sure that the number of lives lost was as low as possible.

In Pakistan, terrorists - strike that - CHILDREN attack army and naval and air force bases with impunity. Visiting cricket teams, assured of "presidential security" by the president, get attacked, and the perpetrators go home for dinner. The GHQ is taken over by CHILDREN.

You really think you ought to be lecturing India about CT operations?

Oh and by the way - please give a source for the ridiculous assertion about "a platoon of policemen" running away from children. The facts on the ground are that ill equipped police officers lead from the front, and gave up their lives - the head of the ATF, for instance, who put on his uniform and rushed in despite being off duty; or the police commissioner, who rushed in with his sidearm, and sacrificed himself to stop the terrorist duo; and unarmed constables tackled the highly armed terrorists in complete disregard for their own lives, as Tukaram Omble did, which gave us a living Pakistani specimen to expose. Heck, even the waiters and bellboys of the Taj hotel acted heroically. The manager on duty lost his life, while escorting guests to safety. (Compare that with the attack on the Sri Lankan team in Lahore, when elite commandos disappeared at the sound of the first shot.) Even the staff at the two hotels that day showed more courage and integrity than your uniformed personnel have done on similar occasions.

It was a tribute to everybody involved, from black cats to MARCOS to police constables to firefighters to waiters and bellboys, that we kept the damage minimal. I know that the perpetrators are big heroes for you, and that incident was one of your proudest achievements, but still you should give credit where it is due.

At the end of the day, the security forces performed horribly - thats all i can say.

 

[Abingdonboy]

Pakistan army never trained them, i suggest you watch the interogation video.

Kasab, other terrorists trained by Pak navy: Headley : North, News - India Today

Headley narrates Pak Navy man's links to 26/11 - Rediff.com India News

Our Soldiers are able to shred through them within half an hour, unlike Indians who take 3 days.

Oh really? What happened during the 8 day Lal Masjid operation then?

Do you see any Indian members so shamelessly insulting the actions of Pakistan's security forces in the numerous attacks you have faced? 26/11 was a simply unprecedented event and proffesionals the world over agree the work done by the NSG was impressive and they would not have fared any better. Take your BS elsewhere.

At the end of the day, the security forces performed horribly - thats all i can say.

No one cares what a clown like you has to say. Come back with some facts to back up your nonsense or show yourself out.

I suggest anyone who hasn't seen this video to watch it in full to see what a "failure" 26/11 was:

 

[ayesha.a]

At the end of the day, the security forces performed horribly - thats all i can say.

Yes, I know.

I know that you can only say that unwarrantable statement. I know that you cannot address the many points I raised. I know that you would rather not talk about the pathetic performance of your own forces under much easier circumstances. I know you want to stick to glorifying your heroes who did that dastardly deed, and dissing the Indian forces. I know that terrorists will always be heroes for you, not security forces who thwart them against all odds.

Truth and reality are not on your side, so a false one liner is all that you can muster. The reality is that ill equipped Indian forces, despite being completely taken by surprise, limited the damage to 186 lives lost.

 

[Abingdonboy]

Yes, I know.

I know that you can only say that unwarrantable statement. I know that you cannot address the many points I raised. I know that you would rather not talk about the pathetic performance of your own forces under much easier circumstances. I know you want to stick to glorifying your heroes who did that dastardly deed, and dissing the Indian forces. I know that terrorists will always be heroes for you, not security forces who thwart them against all odds.

Truth and reality are not on your side, so a false one liner is all that you can muster. The reality is that ill equipped Indian forces, despite being completely taken by surprise, limited the damage to 186 lives lost.

*166 fatalities.

 

[Talwar e Pakistan]

Kasab, other terrorists trained by Pak navy: Headley : North, News - India Today

Headley narrates Pak Navy man's links to 26/11 - Rediff.com India News



Oh really? What happened during the 8 day Lal Masjid operation then?

Do you see any Indian members so shamelessly insulting the actions of Pakistan's security forces in the numerous attacks you have faced? 26/11 was a simply unprecedented event and proffesionals the world over agree the work done by the NSG was impressive and they would not have fared any better. Take your BS elsewhere.


No one cares what a clown like you has to say. Come back with some facts to back up your nonsense or show yourself out.

Difference was they weren't in Lal Masjid with hostages and constantly shooting up people; The Army had as much as time they wanted and has no reason to rush. Also looking at the casualties Pakistan Army sustained 11 casualties most of whom were unarmed and several were kill while off-duty and unarmed while terrorists sustained 90 casualties. Indians lost dozens of policemen and commandos just against 9 attackers many of them being officers.