‘Raj along with Uddhav could not be found’: Ex-commando recounts how Mumbai was saved on 26/11

Former elite commando Praveen Kumar Teotia was part of the 26/11 counter-terrorist operations

Amid the Marathi language row, a former elite commando claimed that supporters of Raj Thackeray were busy hiding when the terror unfolded in Mumbai in 2008.

Praveen Kumar Teotia, who was part of the 26/11 counter-terrorist operation, said he bleeds for Maharashtra. "I saved Mumbai on 26/11. I bleed for Maharashtra. I'm from UP. I saved the Taj Hotel. Where were Raj Thackeray's so-called warriors? Don't divide the nation. Smiles don't require any language," Teotia, who has authored the book 26/11 Braveheart: My Encounter with Terrorists That Night, told ANI.

#WATCH | Delhi: On the Marathi language row, ex-Marine Commando Praveen Kumar Teotia, who led the team during the counter-terrorist operations after the 26/11 attack at Mumbai's Taj Hotel, says, "When the 26/11 terrorist attack happened, their (MNS) so-called warriors hid and… pic.twitter.com/PYwA5Zt9IB

— ANI (@ANI) July 6, 2025

On November 26, 2008, a group of 10 Pakistani terrorists went on a rampage, carrying out coordinated attacks at the city's railway station, two luxury hotels and a Jewish centre. The terrorist had sneaked into India’s financial capital using the sea route in the Arabian Sea.

The tragic attack resulted in the death of 166 victims, injured hundreds, and caused material loss of $1.5 billion worth of property damage.

Teotia said that it was not Raj and Uddhav Thackeray, but military personnel from states like UP and Bihar who fought the terrorists during 26/11. “He (Raj Thackeray) himself, along with Uddhav Thackeray and his family, could also not be found... People who saved others, such as army personnel, are primarily from UP and Bihar... I was there, handled the situation, and faced the terrorists. I am also from UP and come from the village of Chaudhary Charan Singh. So, don't teach us politics. Separate politics from language. We take pride in Marathi, but people shouldn't politicise it. If you want to do politics, focus on developmental work and jobs. Raj Thackeray and MNS have not done any developmental work yet..." Teotia told ANI.

His remarks came after cousins Raj and Uddhav Thackeray shared a stage after nearly two decades on Friday, at a "victory rally" organised by Shiv Sena UBT and MNS. The Maharashtra government orders on the three-language formula – issued on April 16 and 17 – kicked up a political storm in the state, leading to both Raj and Uddhav Thackeray joining hands in protesting against it.