Sandeep Unnikrishnan
Sandeep Unnikrishnan (March 15, 1977 – November 28, 2008) was a Major in the Indian Army serving in the elite National Security Guards (NSG) who was killed in an encounter with terrorists in November 2008 Mumbai attacks.
“Do not come up, I will handle them.” These were probably the last words which Major Sandeep Unnikrishnan told his men as he was hit by bullets while engaging terrorists inside the Taj Hotel, Mumbai during the Black Tornado operation.
During the operation, when a commando got injured Major Unnikrishnan arranged for his evacuation and started chasing the terrorists himself. The terrorists escaped to another floor of the hotel and during the chase Major Unnikrishnan was seriously injured and succumbed to his injuries.
Family
He hails from a family settled in Bangalore that had migrated from Cheruvannur, Kozhikode district, Kerala. He was the only son of retired ISRO officer Mr. K. Unnikrishnan and Mrs. Dhanalakshmi.
Childhood
Major Unnikirshnan spent 14 years at the Frank Anthony Public School. A popular figure among his contemporaries, he wanted to join the Army, even attending school in a crew cut. He is remembered as an outstanding student by his teacher. In 1995 he finished ISC Science from here. He was the house captain and he participated in sports and described by his school principal as "fantastic athlete". Most of his athletic records remained unbroken for many years. He described himself as a movie maniac in his orkut profile.
Besides his display of courage from young age he had a soft side to him and was a member of the school choir.
Army Career
Sandeep joined the National Defense Academy in 1995. He was a member of the Oscar Squadron and a pass out of the 94th Course of NDA. He was a member of the social science stream.
His NDA buddies remember him as "selfless", "generous" and "calm and composed".
In 1995, we were a bunch of gangly 18-year-olds, wondering what the hell we were doing climbing up Sinhgad fort on a miserable, rainy day, when I first met Unni. He was an ikki, a first termer, bone-weary, but always gung-ho. When we made it to the top, the first stop was for a fill of water. Soggy, bushed and thirsty, we ran to the natural spring that has been feeding soldiers since the days of Chhatrapati Shivaji. Unni was the first to reach and started drawing water from the well. We lined up with our canteens, but a tourist first held out her water bottle. Unni filled it. Then, another. Unni filled that too. Within seconds, there was a long line of tourists waiting for water. Without a word - and with a smile to us - Unni dutifully doled out his generosity. He never got to us. He himself never got a sip. The order came to move on.
– An NDA coursemate
His happy-go-lucky face masked a ruthless and determined soldier, so did his thin physique hide a tough, never-give-up spirit that was seen in various training camps and cross country races he participated in with in the NDA.
He was commissioned as Second Lieutenant to the 7 Bihar Regiment in June 1999. After serving the Indian Army in different locations in Jammu & Kashmir, Siachen and Rajasthan to counter insurgencies for two terms, he was selected to join the National Security Guards.On completion of training, he was assigned to the Special Action Group (SAG) of NSG on January 2007 and participated in various operations of the NSG.
He was a popular officer who was loved and adored by his seniors and juniors alike. During the `Ghatak test', the most difficult test of the Army, Major Unnikrishnan topped twice in these tests earning commendation from seniors. Perhaps this was the reason or his passion for bravery that he opted for the NSG commando service which he joined on deputation in 2006.
Operation Black Tornado
On the night of 26 Nov 2008, several iconic buildings in South Mumbai were attacked by terrorists. One of the buildings where the terrorists held people hostage was the 100 year old Taj Mahal Palace Hotel.
Major Unnikrishnan was the commander of 51 SAG deployed in the operation at the Taj Mahal Hotel to rid the building of terrorists and rescue the hostage. The terrorists had held a few women as hostages in a room and locked it from the inside. After breaking open the door, the round of fire by the terrorists hit Major Sunil Yadav, his buddy pair. He led his team from the front and engaged the terrorists in a fierce gunfight. He arranged for Major Sunil Yadav's evacuation and regardless of personal safety chased the terrorists who, meanwhile, escaped to another floor of the hotel, and while doing so Major Sandeep continuously engaged them. In the encounter that followed, he was shot from the back, seriously injured and succumbed to injuries.
3 Cops died in Mumbai Blasts:
1. Vijay Salaskar:
Vijay Salaskar (died November 26, 2008) was an Indian police officer with the Mumbai Police. An encounter specialist, he was killed while fighting terrorists in the November 2008 Mumbai attacks. Before his death he was heading the Anti-Extortion Cell, Mumbai.
Salaskar, an M Com from Mumbai University, had joined the force as a sub inspector. He had been believed to kill around 75 dreaded criminals in police encounters. After being out of the spotlight for quite sometime, the encounter specialist was given the plum posting of heading the anti-extortion wing of the crime branch.
He was also known for his professional animosity against Arun Gawli, a notorious gangster turned politician from Mumbai.
It is worth quoting his beliefs he talked about in his interview with Pritish Nandy.When asked, "How did you acquire this reputation as a sharpshooter, an encounter specialist?", his response was, "Frankly, I do not see myself in any such role. But people see me as that. The media sees me as that. Gradually perhaps I am coming to accept myself in the role. Though I must confess, I do not like such a reputation. It unnecessarily creates a bad impression, particularly among human rights activists. They feel I am a trigger-happy policeman. Famous for killing others. I do not enjoy having such a reputation, sir. I just do my job."
Worthwhile to know was one more answer to the question, "How does it feel to kill a man, looking him in the eye?", to which he had said, "In a shootout, no one has time for such niceties. Either you kill or you get killed. I am plain lucky to still be alive. In this job, you know, we take one day at a time. Who can predict what tomorrow will bring?"
These were his words in March, 1999. On November 26, 2008, Salaskar died during the Mumbai terrorist attacks.
2.Hemant Karkare
Hemant Karkare (c. 1954 – 26 November 2008) was the chief of the Mumbai Anti Terrorist Squad. He was killed during the November 2008 Mumbai attacks after being hit in his chest by three bullets fired by terrorists.
Karkare was a 1982 batch IPS officer and also held a Bachelor of Engineering degree from Visvesvaraya National Institute of Technology, Nagpur. As an ATS Chief, he was involved in the Malegaon blast probe and naxalite-infested Chandrapur district of Maharashtra.
Mr.Karkare had solved the serial bomb blasts in Thane, Vashi and Panvel and was also credited for the stunning revelations in the investigation of the September 29 blast in Malegaon. In January 2008, he was named the head of the ATS after returning to the state cadre. He was credited for helping to uncover the stunning revelations that came about in the investigation of the September 29th blast in Malegaon in which three bombs exploded in Gujarat and Maharashtra of India, killing eight people and injuring 80 (two bombs were detonated in Malegaon, Maharashtra, killing seven). Despite his credible work on the case, his work on the investigation received major criticism from several political organizations after the ATS insinuated that political groups might have been behind the attacks.He is known for his discipline and fair investigation.
He also worked in the R.A.W ( Research and Analysis Wing) -- the India's external intelligence agency -- in Austria for seven years.
3.Ashok Kamate
Ashok Kamte (died November 26, 2008) was the Additional Commissioner (East Region) of Mumbai Police. He was killed while fighting terrorists during the November 2008 Mumbai attacks.
Prior to his current posting, Kamte served as the Commissioner of Police for Solapur, as the Superintendent of Police of Sangli district from August 2002 to July 2004, as the Deputy Commissioner of Police (Zone 1, South Region of Mumbai Police) until August 2002, and on deputation to the United Nations peace-keeping police force. Mumbai Police and Solapur are commissionerates and Sangli is a district of the Maharashtra Police in India.
In his police career, Kamte earned a substantial following of ordinary citizens[3] as he took on hardened criminals and politicians with criminal background. Shortly after his taking over the Sangli police department, notorious criminal Raju Pujari was killed in a police encounter.
Kamte studied at the St. Xavier's College, Bombay, the Kodaikanal International School, class of 1982, and the Raj Kumar College in Rajkot from 1972 to 1977 in class III to VIII. An accomplished athlete, he represented India at the junior power-lifting championship in Peru in 1978.
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