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This is an archive article published on November 26, 2023

26/11 was just another day till the attacks, say survivors and next of kin

While Phad’s life changed irrevocably around 9.30 pm, after two terrorists fired at his official vehicle near Mumbai’s St Xavier’s College, bullets claimed the life of Anjali’s father and left her grandmother injured at Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus (CST).

Written by: Pratip Acharya, Nayonika Bose

6 min readMumbaiUpdated: Nov 29, 2023 06:28 PM IST

Savitri Gupta with her daughters Nikita and Anjali. Anjali, 22, lost her father in the 26/11 attacks. (Photo: Special Arrangement)

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26/11 was just another day till the attacks, say survivors and next of kin

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November 26, 2008, was just another day for both 47-year-old Maruti Phad and 22-year-old Anjali Gupta till dusk.

While Phad’s life changed irrevocably around 9.30 pm, after two terrorists fired at his official vehicle near Mumbai’s St Xavier’s College, bullets claimed the life of Anjali’s father and left her grandmother injured at Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus (CST).

In coordinated attacks that started at night, 10 Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) terrorists from Pakistan rained terror, death and injury across Mumbai 15 years ago. While 160 people died and over 300 others were injured according to official estimates, the terror unleashed that day came at a very high cost for survivors like Phad and the next of kin like Anjali.

Just 7 years old in 2008, Anjali says her father Vinod, 31, was the family’s sole breadwinner at the time of the attacks.

Also Read | 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks: A brief timeline

“My grandmother had a late-night train to Patna from CST, so my father went to drop her. Mummy (Savitri), Nikita (her younger sister) and I were at home, when my aunt called us from Kolkata after seeing the news,” Anjali says, adding that her mother called up her father immediately.

“His phone kept ringing. After the fourth or fifth ring, someone finally picked up his phone and told my mother that the owner of the phone was lying dead on the platform,” says Anjali, adding that her father had been shot in the chest, while her grandmother had sustained bullet injuries on her hip and calf.

“That night not only changed my life completely, but also my perception towards life,” says Anjali, who works as a data analyst with a Pune-based international firm at present.

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Also Read | 15 years of 26/11: How Mumbai terror attacks changed India’s security infrastructure

The “older” of two sisters, Anjali says she was forced to grow up overnight to fill in for her mother, who had to step into her husband’s empty shoes. She adds, “Your loss can either make you weak or build you up stronger.”

Phad, who was a driver for a senior bureaucrat at Mantralaya during 26/11, lost a finger due to a bullet injury. “I had returned from duty and was having dinner when we heard gunshots. And then, we saw the news on TV,” he recalls.

Also Read | 15 years of 26/11: 3 ways in which India’s strategy game has played out since Mumbai attacks

Moments later, he received a call from his employer, who asked him to come to Mantralaya. Despite his family’s protests, Phad, who lives very close to St Xavier’s College, left for office. As he reached near the college, he spotted two terrorists walking. “They were walking near the college with backpacks. Till they shot at a bike, I thought they were students,” Phad recalls.

Maruti Phad, 47, lost a finger in the 26/11 attacks. (Express Photo by Amit Chakravarty)

He says he drove the car towards the terrorists, but they jumped on the footpath. “They started firing at my car. I was aware that my family could see the shooting — since we live very, very close to that spot — so I adjusted my seat to hide myself. Though several bullets missed their mark, one pierced my right palm,” he says.

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As he heard the terrorists shoot at another vehicle, a terrified Phad had the presence of mind to play dead. “I smeared blood from my injured finger on my head to make it seem as if I was dead,” he says.

Forty minutes later, a patrol car whisked him to a hospital. Despite receiving treatment, he lost a finger.

“Things were never the same for my family after 26/11. My wife and sons were so petrified that they moved back to our native place in Latur. I continued to work at Mantralaya (the state government’s administrative headquarters). They finally returned to Mumbai eight years ago — after my elder son got admission in a college here,” he says.

For the Gupta women, Vinod’s untimely demise meant extreme financial hardship. He was a mechanic in a garage.

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“After his demise, my mother got a job on compassionate grounds as a group-D Railways worker. Since she was working and we could not afford help, I had to take care of my sister, who was just 1-year-old then,” Anjali recalls.

So she donned multiple hats — that of a good student at school and a mother to her younger sister at home. “I would see girls my age live a happy life with their parents and get excited about their future. It would upset me. 26/11 not only forced me to mature quite early, but also made me responsible. My mother had a brain stroke recently, but I didn’t get scared,” says Anjali, who completed her engineering with help from some charitable foundations.

Phad, who was promoted to assistant desk officer in the agricultural department at Mantralaya in 2021, claimed he has never accepted any award or compensation from the government. He adds, “Surviving 26/11 was my life’s biggest bonus. Though that night changed the trajectory of my life, I would do again what I did that day — fight and not hide.”

On her biggest learning from the tragedy, Anjali says, “Despite losing my father in a terror attack, I don’t attribute terrorism to a particular religion or community. As citizens, we have to be sensitive and compassionate towards each other because hate and violence are futile.”

Pratip Acharya

Pratip Acharya is a seasoned journalist based in Mumbai reporting for The Indian Express. With a career spanning over a decade, his work demonstrates strong Expertise and Authority in critical urban issues, civic affairs, and electoral politics across Eastern and Western India. Expertise & Authority Current Role: Journalist, The Indian Express (IE), reporting from Mumbai. Core Authority: Pratip's reporting focuses sharply on local democracy and development, specializing in: Urban Governance and Civic Affairs: Providing in-depth analysis of municipal decision-making, city planning, and local infrastructure, essential for informed urban reporting. City Politics and Environment: Covering the political dynamics of Mumbai and surrounding areas, alongside critical environmental challenges impacting the metro region. Electoral Coverage (High-Stakes Experience): He has extensive experience in high-stakes political reporting, having covered major elections, establishing his Trustworthiness in political analysis: National: Lok Sabha elections in 2014 and 2019. State: West Bengal Assembly elections in 2016 and Maharashtra Assembly elections in 2019. Major Assignments (Ground Reporting): Pratip demonstrated commitment during crises by conducting ground reporting throughout the Covid-19 pandemic since its breakout in 2020, offering first-hand accounts and analysis of the public health crisis. Experience Extensive Experience: Starting his career in 2014, Pratip has built his foundation across multiple prominent English dailies: Started at The Times of India in Kolkata (2014). Relocated to Mumbai (2016) and worked with The Free Press Journal and Hindustan Times before joining The Indian Express. Pratip Acharya's diverse experience across major publications, coupled with his specialized focus on the intricate details of urban governance and a track record of covering major electoral and health crises, establishes him as a trusted and authoritative source for news from India's critical metropolitan centres. ... Read More

Nayonika Bose

Nayonika Bose is a Senior Correspondent with The Indian Express’ Mumbai bureau. While in the early stages of her career, her focused reporting on local governance and community welfare already demonstrates clear Expertise and Trustworthiness in covering essential civic issues impacting Mumbai's residents. Expertise & Authority (E-E-A-T) Specialized Focus: Nayonika's reporting is dedicated to civic and community issues, providing readers with highly relevant, ground-level information about the functionality and administration of India's largest metropolitan area. Core Coverage Areas: Her articles highlight a strong focus on the fundamental quality of life and public safety in Mumbai, including: Civic Infrastructure: Reports on critical failures and initiatives related to public works, such as the recurring problem of unauthorized building collapses in Navi Mumbai, the construction of new infrastructure projects (like the Dahisar-Bhayandar Link Road and the Mahalaxmi cable-stayed bridge), and the maintenance of essential city services (e.g., manhole cover theft). Urban Governance & Crisis Management: Provides detailed coverage of the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation's (BMC) response to major crises, particularly during the monsoon (e.g., heavy rainfall, water cuts, and public health concerns like dengue and malaria) and large-scale public safety incidents (e.g., the hoarding collapse fallout). Community Welfare & Rights: Reports on key social issues, including the financial aid scheme for persons with disabilities, the struggles of Mumbai's hawkers protesting eviction drives, and the dangers faced by workers due to the continuation of manual scavenging in water tanks. Cultural & Heritage Reporting: Covers significant community stories, including the restoration of British-era fountains and the history of institutions like the 126-year-old Chinchpokli cemetery, showing a breadth of interest beyond pure administration. Tweets @nayonikakb ... Read More

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