We are proud of their sacrifice: Families remember Parliament attack martyrs on 24th anniversary
On Saturday, New Delhi marked the 24th year since the 2001 Parliament terror attack. The streets were filled with families who had lost loved ones in that tragedy, each sharing stories of courage and paying tribute to the sacrifices made.
Relatives of the security officers and civilians who perished said that, while the pain of their loss can never be erased, the nation’s ongoing remembrance gives them strength and comfort. “We are filled with pride and feel satisfied with the kind of respect being offered. God may have taken him back from us, but I am so proud of him,” expressed Umraosingh Yadav, a close kin of martyr J. P. Yadav, when speaking to LatestNewsX.
Sunita Bisht, the wife of a cameraman who was killed while filming the assault, recalled the moment of her husband’s death. “I am the wife of the cameraman who lost his life in that attack. When the attack occurred, he was covering and filming. He got shot and died. The way the government pays respect to the martyrs makes me feel proud,” she said.
Ganga Devi, married to Delhi Police officer Nanak Chand, who was among those slain, shared similar feelings. “The tribute being paid to the martyrs is a good work and makes me feel very proud. Our children get to see how he sacrificed himself for the nation,” she added, emphasizing the importance of keeping the memory alive for future generations.
Nanak Chand’s granddaughter, Lucky, reflected on the special significance of the day. “It is a very proud moment to witness this. I was not born at that time when he sacrificed himself for the nation, but today I understand what he did for the country,” she explained.
The attack on December 13, 2001, came when five militants from Jaish‑e‑Mohammed drove a vehicle masquerading as a Home Ministry and Parliament car into the complex. Armed with AK‑47s, grenade launchers, pistols and hand grenades, they used forged identity stickers to slip past the high‑security perimeter. Although Parliament had adjourned close to 40 minutes earlier, more than 100 people—including several Members of Parliament, the Home Minister L.K. Advani and Defence Minister of State Harin Pathak—were still inside when the terrorists struck.
Central Reserve Police Force constable Kamlesh Kumari was the first to spot the attackers and raise the alarm, but she was shot and killed on the spot. The ensuing firefight resulted in all five terrorists being neutralised, though nine people—six Delhi Police officers, two Parliament Security Service staff, and a gardener—lost their lives, and at least 17 others were injured.
Two decades later, the families of those who fell at that moment say that the nation’s continuous remembrance ensures their sacrifices will never be forgotten.
rs/uk
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