President Ram Nath Kovind on Friday remembered the martyrs who sacrificed their lives while fighting the terrorists who attacked the Parliament on December 13, 2001. On 20th anniversary of the Parliament attack, President Kovind said India remains firm on its resolve to eliminate terrorism.
In a tweet, President Kovind said, “A grateful nation salutes the exemplary valour and courage of the martyrs who sacrificed their lives while defending the Parliament from terrorists on this day in 2001. We remain firm in our resolve to defeat and eliminate terrorism in all its forms and manifestations.”
On December 13, 2001, five heavily-armed terrorists belonging to Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) and Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM), stormed the Parliament complex in New Delhi and opened indiscriminate firing. Around 14 people, mostly security forces and one civilian, were killed in the Parliament terror attack. The victims included five Delhi Police personnel, a woman Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) trooper, two Parliament staff and a gardener. A journalist who was injured in the attack died later.
The attack in 2001 lasted around 40 minutes after the Parliament was adjourned for the day. While the Houses were adjourned at the time of the attack, some 100 parliamentarians and staff were still inside the building.