NEW DELHI: India commemmorated the sixth anniversary of the Mumbai attack with Prime Minister Narendra Modi and other leaders paying homage to the victims, recalling the "horror" over which the country still felt "endless pain" for the loss of 166 lives.
The Indian government also voiced concern over the "very slow" progress in 26/11 trial in Pakistan and demanded that the perpetrators be punished at the earliest, as floral tributes were paid in Mumbai to the martyrs who laid down their lives while fighting the ten Pakistani terrorists.
The solemn event was also utilised by security forces to review their preparedness to prevent a repeat of the carnage that was carried out using the sea route with the Coast Guard working on plans to augment its off-shore strength aimed at having 150 ships and 100 twin-engine aircraft by 2020.
However, there were concerns over the 72 high-end speed boats acquired by Maharashtra Police two years after the 2008 attack not being operated to full capacity along the state's coastline for want of fuel and unattended technical problems.
Ten terrorists belonging to Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) had carried out audacious attacks at multiple locations in Mumbai in which nearly 400 people were also injured. The dead including police officers, NSG commandos and some foreigners.
Nine terrorists were killed by security forces in operations against them that lasted four days while one terrorist Ajmal Kasab was arrested. Kasab was later hanged to death in Yerwada jail in Pune in 2012 after his trial.
A Pakistani anti-terrorism court is conducting trial against seven accused in the 26/11 attacks case including LeT operations commander Zakiur Rehman Lakhvi for last several years but without any outcome.
In Mumbai, Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis said the state government is commited to strengthen police force and provide them modern and better equipment, calling it a priority.
"Today, as we remember the horror of the terror attack in Mumbai in 2008, we feel the endless pain of lost lives. Let us work together to fulfil the pledge we have taken to combat terrorism and trans-national crimes," Prime Minister Modi told SAARC leaders who included his Pakistani counterpart Nawaz Sharif at their summit in Kathmandu.
In a tweet, Modi also said that today was the day to reaffirm the commitment to combat terrorism and uproot it from the face of mankind.
"We remember the horrific terror attacks in Mumbai on this day in 2008 and pay homage to the innocent men and women who lost their lives.
We salute the brave security personnel who laid down their lives to protect several lives on that fateful day. They are our true heroes. Today is a day to reaffirm our commitment to work together to combat the menace of terror and uproot it from the face of humankind," the Prime Minister said.
Expressing his "heartfelt tributes" to the people who were killed in the Mumbai carnage, Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh said the 26/11 trial in Pakistan should be expedited on a priority basis.
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