26/11 Mumbai attack accused Tahawwur Rana allowed to speak to family members

Tahawwur Rana

Tahawwur Rana, the accused in the 26/11 Mumbai attacks, was, on Thursday, allowed by Delhi's Patiala House Court to make a one-time phone call to his family members. This came after Rana had sought permission for the same, claiming that he needed to discuss with his family before changing his legal aid counsel.

The officials in Tihar Jail, where he has been lodged, had earlier rejected his request, citing security concerns. However, this is not the first time that Rana had made such requests. Earlier, one of his requests was approved, leading him to make a one-time phone call to his family members.

Who is Tahawwur Rana?

Tahawwur Hussain Rana is a Pakistani-born Canadian national who has been accused of involvement in global terrorism, particularly in connection with the 2008 Mumbai attacks that killed 166 people.

26/11 Mumbai terror attacks

The 26/11 Mumbai attacks were a series of coordinated and deadly terrorist strikes that took place between November 26 and 29 in 2008 across multiple locations in Mumbai. The attacks were carried out by 10 heavily armed operatives from the Pakistan-based terror group Lashkar-e-Taiba and targeted iconic sites including the Taj Mahal Palace Hotel, Oberoi Trident, Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus (CST), Leopold Café, Cama Hospital and Nariman House.

Over the course of nearly 60 hours, the terrorists killed 166 people and injured more than 300, including foreign nationals. The attackers arrived by sea from Karachi and were guided in real-time by handlers in Pakistan using satellite phones and GPS. One terrorist, Ajmal Kasab, was captured alive and his confession confirmed Pakistan’s involvement in planning and executing the attack.

Investigations into the case further revealed that David Headley, a Pakistani-American, had conducted reconnaissance missions for the operation under the guise of business trips.