Mumbai (Maharashtra): Thirteen years have passed but the dreadful incident of the 26/11 Mumbai attack has left a scar in the minds and hearts of survivors and their families.
The ghastly attacks, which began on November 26, 2008, lasted for four days, leading to the death of 166 people and injuring over 300.
Shyam Sundar Chaudhary, who live in slums in Mumbai’s Vile Parle, was driving his taxi as any other day. He and his family’s life turned after a bullet fired by terrorists hit him on that fateful day. He survived but only to get paralysed and bedridden.
Speaking to ANI, Shyam Sundar Chaudhary’s wife Bebi Choudhary said, “Thirteen years have been passed. My husband was going for duty. Just he crossed the highway, a car rushed breaking the signal. They fired at my husband. the bullets hit his head and shoulder. Following the incident, my husband started losing his memory and he got completely bedridden. He cannot move, speak and even eat. He only can see and hear. For the last 13 years, he is on bed.”
She said that only Rs 1.5 lakh was provided by the government. She then started working as a security guard to run the family.
“I had to run from pillar to post for a job but nobody provided anything. Then I started doing jobs at private companies as a security guard. Thanks to Tata Trust who took the responsibility of the study of my children,” she stated.
Bebi said that in 2020 she had to leave the security guard job as her mother-in-law passed away.
“If I go to the job then who will take care of my husband since he cannot move. I have to feed him, give him medicines. It is being difficult to arrange my husband’s medicine, diapers. I have sent my children to my mother’s place. It has now become more difficult to run the house. No one comes for help. I went to Nagar Sevak, MLA to get me a job,” she added.
Shyam Sundar Chaudhary’s son is studying hotel management with the help of Tata Trust while their daughter is studying at XIIth.
Bebi is hopeful that the cloud of hardships will clear once their children get settled.
Jillo Yadav, a Railway Protection Force (RPF) personnel had his duty at Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus (CST). Yadav fired at Ajmal Kasab when along with his fellow terrorist were firing at people at the CST.
Remembering the day, Jillo Yadav said, “It was my night duty. Around 9.30 pm, firing took place in the mainline section in the CST. People started running and someone told me that two terrorists are firing at people. By that time, the terrorists reached the local line section. I saw they are reloading their guns. I took the service rifle of police personnel there and fired at them.”
