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Parliament Attack: When the echo of bullets was heard in the Parliament complex, many big leaders and journalists including Home Minister Lal Krishna Advani were present in the Parliament House. Seeing the situation, everyone was asked to stay inside and the Parliament was completely sealed. This attack on Parliament is considered one of the serious terrorist incidents in the history of India.
New Delhi. The date was 13 December 2001. It was bitterly cold in Delhi, but the political temperature inside the Parliament House was high. The winter session was going on and there was a huge uproar over the ‘Women’s Reservation Bill’. The then Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee and Leader of Opposition Sonia Gandhi had left the Parliament. But many senior leaders and journalists including Home Minister Lal Krishna Advani were still present inside. No one had even dreamed that in the next few moments the biggest ever terrorist attack would take place on the temple of Indian democracy.
White Ambassador and Gate No. 12
It was around 11:30 in the morning. Just then a white Ambassador car entered rapidly from Gate No. 12 of the Parliament House. There were fake stickers of Home Ministry and Parliament on the car. The security personnel became suspicious after seeing the speed and manner of the car. They ran after the car. In their panic, the terrorists’ car collided with the Vice President’s car parked there. As soon as the collision took place, the terrorists’ pot burst. As soon as they came out of the car, the five terrorists started firing indiscriminately with their AK-47 rifles. Within no time the entire Parliament complex echoed with the sound of bullets.
The story of bravery and the end of terrorists
Immediately after the attack, all the doors of the Parliament House were closed. The MPs and ministers present inside were sent to safe places. Security forces took up position outside. A terrorist was trying to enter the House from Gate No. 1, but the alert soldiers killed him there. After this the remaining four terrorists moved towards gate number 4. Three terrorists were killed in the fierce encounter there. The last terrorist ran towards Gate No. 5, but he also fell victim to the bullets of security forces. This bloody game continued from 11:30 am to 4 pm.
9 brave men martyred
The country lost 9 of its brave sons in this attack. While fighting the terrorists, 5 Delhi Police personnel, a lady constable of CRPF Kamlesh Kumari, 2 employees of Rajya Sabha Secretariat and a gardener were martyred. It was thanks to these brave men that the terrorists could not reach the main hall of the Parliament House, otherwise a huge tragedy could have happened.
Conspiracy exposed and Afzal Guru hanged
Just two days after the attack, on 15 December 2001, Delhi Police exposed the conspiracy. Masterminds Afzal Guru, SAR Geelani, Afshan Guru and Shaukat Hussain were arrested. A long legal battle ensued. The Supreme Court acquitted Geelani and Afshan, while Shaukat Hussain’s sentence was reduced. But Afzal Guru, the main conspirator of the attack, was found guilty. Afzal Guru was hanged on 9 February 2013 at 8 am in Tihar Jail, Delhi. Even today, the day of 13th December reminds us of those martyrs who sacrificed their lives to protect democracy.
