On the sixth anniversary of the 2008 Mumbai terror attacks, Home Minister Rajnath Singh on Wednesday voiced concern over the “very slow” progress in the trial of the case in Pakistan and demanded that the perpetrators be punished at the earliest.
Expressing his “heartfelt tributes” to the people who lost their lives in the November 26 terror attacks in the metropolis, Singh said the trial of the case in the neighbouring country should be expedited on a priority basis.
“The trial of those responsible for Mumbai attack is progressing very slowly in Pakistan. The perpetrators of Mumbai attack are yet to be punished,” he said.
The home minister also paid his homage to the brave jawans from police and security forces who sacrificed their lives while fighting against the terrorists six years ago on this day.
Ten terrorists belonging to Lashkar-e-Taiba had carried out attacks at multiple locations in Mumbai in which 166 people were killed and nearly 400 others injured.
Only one terrorist -- Ajmal Kasab -- was arrested while nine others were killed by security forces in operations against them that lasted four days. Kasab was later hanged to death in 2012 after an extensive judicial process.
A Pakistani anti-terrorism court is conducting trial against seven accused in the 26/11 attacks case, including LeT operations commander Zakiur Rehman Lakhvi for last several years but without any outcome.
The case has been delayed due to multiple reasons, including abrupt removal of judge on several occasions, non furnishing of key documents by the prosecutors besides others.
Image: The attack at Mumbai's Taj hotel on November 26, 2008.
