17 Years After 26/11, Survivor Recounts The Night Ajmal Kasab Shot Her

A woman who lived through the 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks has opened up about the night that forever altered her life. Recalling the first burst of gunfire, she said she watched the terrorist shoot at people around her and saw several lose their lives right in front of her. “The night I was shot is still etched in my mind. Each year the anniversary comes, but for us that night never changes,” she said, speaking to ANI.

Seventeen years later, the memories remain vivid. “I still remember that night exactly the way I witnessed it,” she added.

She also recalled being asked to identify Ajmal Kasab in court. “When I saw Kasab firing at the station, I knew his face. I went to court on June 10 and identified him,” she said. According to her, attempts were made to create confusion during the identification process. “Three people were presented before me. The one near the judge was Kasab. They tried to mislead me, but I was firm—this was the man who shot me.”

She described Kasab’s expression during the attack as chilling. “There was no fear in his eyes. It looked like he enjoyed killing us. That face has never left my mind.”

Beyond the trauma, she also spoke about her long fight to get the support that was promised to her. “In all these 17 years, I received many assurances, and most were forgotten by the government,” she said. She explained that she was repeatedly told her issues would be addressed, including her need for housing, but nothing materialised until she approached the court herself.

The survivor credited advocates Usha Benz and later Kunika Lal for helping her secure a judicial order for a home. She spent years appealing to authorities and speaking to the media, hoping someone would act. “I am satisfied that I finally got a house, but it came through the judiciary, not government support,” she said.

She added that several commitments made to survivors have not been fulfilled. “We were told they would stand by us if we needed help, but those promises have been forgotten. It’s painful. The government rests, but we have to fight for everything.”

On November 26, 2008, Mumbai witnessed one of the worst terror attacks in India’s history, with 166 people killed and more than 300 injured. Lashkar-e-Taiba militants entered the city by sea and carried out attacks across multiple key locations, including the Taj Mahal Palace Hotel, Oberoi Trident, CSMT, and Nariman House.