Though Tahawwur Rana’s extradition to India is the result of a well-planned strategy by Indian diplomats, a significant role was also played by an IPS officer. It was due to the watertight case built by this officer's team that the US judiciary could be convinced to approve Rana’s extradition to India. Even though a case related to the 26/11 attacks was filed against Rana in the US, he was acquitted there.
Now, the mastermind of the 26/11 Mumbai attacks, Tahawwur Rana, is coming to India, and in a remarkable coincidence, the first officer to interrogate him will be the very one who was injured in the attack and who had shown exemplary bravery during it. That officer is NIA Chief Sadanand Date. During the attack, Date narrowly escaped death at the hands of terrorist Ajmal Kasab.
For his bravery during the attack, Date was awarded the President’s Medal. A 1990-batch IPS officer, Sadanand Date was born into a poor family. As a child, he delivered newspapers, and his mother worked in others' homes to support the family. In addition to serving in various roles in the Mumbai Police, he has also worked with the CBI. He briefly led Maharashtra's Anti-Terrorism Squad and was the first Police Commissioner of the Mira-Bhayander-Vasai-Virar region. A year ago, he was appointed the chief of the NIA. Within the police force, he is known for his honesty and bravery.
On the night of November 26, 2008, around 9:30 PM, when the Mumbai terror attacks began, Sadanand Date was the Additional Commissioner of Police for the Central Region. Although the attack took place in the South Region, which wasn't under his jurisdiction, upon receiving the news, he immediately left his Malabar Hill residence and headed toward CST railway station. On the way, he picked up a carbine from a local police station and took six police officers with him.
When Date reached CST, he learned that two terrorists (later identified as Ajmal Kasab and Abu Ismail) had entered the nearby Cama and Albless Hospital, a facility for women and children. Suspecting that the terrorists might try to take patients hostage, he rushed to the hospital premises and saw the terrorists firing from the rooftop. He also fired at them with his carbine, but because they were at a height, they managed to avoid being hit.
Just as he was about to enter the building, Kasab threw a grenade from the roof in his direction. The grenade landed just three feet from him, killing Sub-Inspector Prakash More, who was with him. Date and three other police officers were also injured. Despite being wounded, Date chose to stay and fight, instructing the injured officers to evacuate and seek medical attention.
With the remaining personnel, Date entered the hospital building and made it to the sixth floor, which led to the roof. Taking position near the stairs, he kept firing toward the terrorists on the roof, holding them off for about 40 minutes. Suddenly, another grenade thrown by Kasab exploded near him. Shrapnel lodged in his legs and face, causing heavy bleeding. Taking advantage of the situation, the two terrorists managed to escape.
The duo then killed Vijay Salaskar( Inspector), Ashok Kamte (Additional Commissioner) and Hemant Karkare (ATS chief) who were travelling together in a SUV. Kasab was arrested a few hours later and Ismail was killed in an encounter at Girgaon Chowpatty a few hours later.
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