21 years after Parliament attack: Tighter security, extra patrolling

New Delhi, Dec 12 (IANS) Twenty one years ago five terrorists of the Pakistan-based militant groups Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) and Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) attacked the Indian Parliament by infiltrating its premises in a white Ambassador car bearing fake stickers of the Home Ministry and Parliament itself.

The Delhi police has since then tightened the security arrangements. Extra police personnel have been deployed to keep an eye on all suspicious activities.

December 13, 2001, is still fresh in the minds of the people of the country who witnessed it. The incident had sent the security agencies into a tizzy.

The terrorists who attacked Parliament were carrying AK47 rifles, grenade launchers, pistols and grenades and were able to breach the security cordon around the Parliament complex.

It was at that time that their car was noticed by constable Kamlesh Kumari Yadav. The terrorists had no idea that Yadav had seen their suspicious activities.

Getting suspicious the constable ran to close gate no 1 where she was posted at that time. The terrorists fired at Yadav 11 times.

She died on the spot but was able to foil a suicide bomb attacker who was one of them. After killing Yadav, the terrorists moved forward firing indiscriminately. The horror lasted for about 30 minutes during which nine people were killed and 18 injured.

The security agencies swung into action and all the five terrorists were neutralised outside the building.

The case was given to the Special Cell of the Delhi police. The then Deputy Commissioner of Police Ashok Chand said that he was at the office of the Special Cell when the attack took place.

He said that after receiving the information he rushed to the site, alerting others. When Chand reached Parliament, the attack was still going on. Other Special Cell officers also reached there in a few minutes.

The terrorists were neutralised by the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) personnel. The CRPF battalion had just returned from Jammu and Kashmir and was posted at Parliament House.

The CRPF team knew well how to take on the terrorists as they had been dealing with such elements in Jammu and Kashmir.

Though it was the extreme bravery of the security forces which quickly contained the situation, the Watch and Ward staff of Parliament too played a vital role in saving several lives.

In the next 72 hours the Delhi police's Special Cell cracked the case.

The Special Cell personnel arrested four persons -- Mohammed Afzal Guru, Shaukat Hussain, Afsal Guru and SAR Geelani -- in this connection.

The Delhi Police has tightened security arrangements in the national capital to avoid any untoward incident. Delhi police senior officers have been briefed to conduct extra patrolling in their areas.