10 years of Parliament attack

 

Tribute to Martyrs

It's been 10 years since the audacious attack on India's Parliament on Dec 13,2001. At a memorial service held at the Parliament on Tuesday Dec 13,2011 morning, MPs across party lines paid tribute to those who died in the attack

 Parliament Attack on December 13,2001

5 heavily armed gunmen(one with explosives strapped to his body) stormed the Parliament complex in a vehicle with a fake security sticker and opened indiscriminate fire, killing 9 people.

The Attack

 

At about 1130 in the morning, loud blasts were heard from inside the parliamentary complex.The lady constable Kamlesh Kumari was first to spot the terrorist squad. Police and paramilitary troops ran to take up attack positions.The gunbattle inside raged for an hour. Police crouched behind cars, trees and the corners of the building in a dramatic standoff broadcast live on television. At the time of the attack, seen as a major security breach, more than 200 paramilitary troops guarded the parliament's perimeter.A bomb which was found in the complex was later detonated in a controlled explosion. 

 

 

 

Parliament Sealed off

As sounds of more gunshots followed, the roads approaching the parliament were sealed off. Many people, including politicians and journalists, were still trapped inside. Around 100 MPs were in parliament, which had just adjourned.Home Minister LK Advani and Ministerof State for Defense  Harin Pathak were believed to have still been in the building at the time of the attack.However, PM Vajpayee and Opposition Leader Sonia Gandhi had already left..

Killed in the Attack - 12 (Twelve)

One gunman, wearing a suicide vest  was shot dead; the vest exploded. The other 4 gunmen were also killed in the counter attack.5 policemen, a Parliament security guard, and a gardener were killed





No minister or any MP was hurt

All ministers and lawmakers trapped inside were safe.The cabinet held an emergency meeting after the attack and security was stepped up at state assemblies throughout India. 

Pak Terrorists Behind Attack

The attack left a trail of evidence behind, that pointed to Pakistan.Maulana Masood Azhar and co-conspirator of the attack Tariq Ahmed is at large in Pakistan.
  
Md Afzal Guru,prime accused

4 accused, including Afzal Guru, who were arrested for the attack on Parliament, were found guilty after a trial.A number stuck on the back of all the phones the terrorists used led to Afzal Guru (a Kashmiri terrorist - said to be a Jaish-e-Mohammed militant)who is a prime accused in the attack sentenced to death by SC in 2004 and due to be hanged on October 20 ,2006, had his execution stayed.(mercy petition is pending with the President)