Tributes paid to 26/11 attack martyrs

MUMBAI: Floral tributes were today paid to the martyrs who laid down their lives while fighting terrorists on the sixth anniversary of the 26/11 attack.

Maharashtra Education Minister Vinod Tawde, Minister of Industries, Mines and Parliamentary Affairs Prakash Mehta, Mumbai police commissioner Rakesh Maria and DGP Sanjeev Dayal were among dignitaries who paid homage at the 26/11 police memorial site at the Mumbai Police Gymkhana in south Mumbai.

"I pay homage to the brave policemen who fought for Mumbai's safety and laid down their lives for us on 26/11. We are proud of them and we will strive hard for safety and security of our state," said Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis could not attend the commemorative meeting as he is scheduled to attend various functions to be presided by President Pranab Mukherjee in Pune and Wardha in the state later today.

The chief minister in his message said, "We will strengthen police force with better equipment. It is out priority."

Family members of the policemen, who lost their lives during the November 2008 attacks, were also present during the ceremony.

On November 26, 2008, 10 Pakistani terrorists arrived by sea route and opened fire indiscriminately at people killing 166, including 18 security personnel, and injuring several others, besides damaging property worth crores.

The then Maharashtra ATS chief Hemant Karkare, army Major Sandeep Unnikrishnan, Mumbai's Additional Police Commissioner Ashok Kamte and Senior Police Inspector Vijay Salaskar were among those killed in the attack.