Father of a slain Maharashtra State Reserve Police Force (SRPF) constable Rahul Shinde on Wednesday (Apr 9), has demanded capital punishment for Tahawwur Rana, accused of the 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks that happened 16 years ago. Rana is expected to be extradited to India from the United States.

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Rana, who is a Canadian citizen of Pakistani origin, is accused of playing a role in planning the 2008 attacks carried out by Pakistan-based Lashkar-e-Taiba terrorists that claimed 166 lives, including those of police personnel and foreign nationals. 

Also read | 26/11 Mumbai terror attack mastermind Tahawwur Rana to be brought to India

His final attempt to evade the Indian authorities failed last week after the US Supreme Court denied his emergency application. According to officials, a multi-agency Indian team is currently in the US to complete the legal formalities and bring him to India.

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‘Trauma of attack still lingers’

“The trauma of the attack still lingers in my mind even though more than 16 years have passed,” said Subhash Shinde, father of constable Rahul Shinde, who died in the attack at the Taj Mahal Palace hotel.

“As Rana’s role has come to light in the terror attack, we should not spare him by keeping him alive in prison; he should be hanged,” said the 65-year-old from Solapur district, Maharashtra.

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Also read | US Supreme Court rejects 26/11 accused Tahawwur Rana’s last-ditch plea to stay extradition
 
Shinde has called for a strict punishment for all those involved in the terrorist attack, including those linked to Pakistan. “The world has seen the role of Pakistan. Everyone involved should be brought to justice,” he said.

“Whenever I talk about the attack, I can visualise the terrible images. The damage we have suffered—the lives lost—cannot be forgotten,” said Shinde. “Punishing the accused will be a true tribute to our fallen policemen and citizens.”

A police officer injured in the same deadly attack said, “The authorities should take stern action against Rana and punish him for the crime.”

Also read | ‘Will soon be dead’: 26/11 Mumbai terror attack accused Tahawwur Rana alleges ‘torture’ if extradited to India

Who was Rahul Shinde?

Rahul Shinde, an SRPF constable, was among the first to respond when terrorists stormed the iconic Taj hotel in Mumbai. He died while engaging the attackers. His village was renamed to Rahul Nagar to honour his brave sacrifice. His family lives in Solapur district, where his father runs a farm while his brother runs an LPG agency granted by the government.

Also read | 26/11 mastermind Tahawwur Rana's plea opposing extradition to India rejected by US court

The 26/11 attacks

On November 26, 2008, 10 Pakistani terrorists carried out coordinated attacks on key locations in Mumbai, including CST railway station, Taj and Oberoi hotels, Chabad House, and Leopold Cafe. The siege, which went on for nearly 60 hours, resulted in 166 deaths, including foreign nationals from the US, UK, and Israel.

(With inputs from agencies)