𝓘𝓷𝓭𝓲𝓪 v 𝒫𝒶𝓀𝒾𝓈𝓉𝒶𝓃

A History of Violence, Terrorism, Death and Brutality

India’s Wounds: The Human Cost of Pakistan-Backed Terrorism

India has not just fought terrorism — India has bled from it. Decade after decade, the country has endured devastating attacks that left homes shattered, families broken, and childhoods stolen. Behind every bomb is not just a terrorist's agenda — there is a child's scream, a mother’s silence, and a nation’s heartbreak.

1993 Bombay Bombings — 12 Blasts, One Shattered Soul

On March 12, 1993, twelve coordinated blasts ripped through Bombay. Over 250 innocent lives lost. Zaveri Bazaar, the Bombay Stock Exchange, three hotels — all turned to ash. The bomb at Plaza Cinema exploded just as the movie Tirangaa ended; families walking out holding popcorn bags were turned into statistics. The attacks were orchestrated by D-Company, with alleged support from Pakistan’s ISI.

2001 Indian Parliament Attack — Democracy Targeted

On December 13, 2001, India’s very soul — its Parliament — was attacked by five terrorists (Hamza, Haider alias Tufail, Rana, Ranvijay and Mohammed) from Jaish-e-Mohammed. Nine people (a woman CRPF trooper, 5 Delhi police personnel, 2 parliament security guards and a gardener) died in the building. Had the gunmen breached the inner chambers, the entire leadership of India could have been massacred. Kamlesh Kumari, the CRPF constable who died blocking the terrorists at the gates of Parliament, became a symbol of bravery; in Delhi’s Ram Manohar Lohia hospital where the dead and injured were being brought in on the day of the attack, Kamlesh Kumari’s husband Avdhesh sat surrounded by shocked CRPF officers. "I am ruined," he cried, "I am ruined."

The attack nearly triggered war. India mobilized half a million troops to the border. But the masterminds in Pakistan remained untouched.

2006 Mumbai Train Blasts — Death at Rush Hour
On July 11, 2006, Mumbai’s lifeline — its local trains — became scenes of horror. Seven coordinated bombs exploded within 11 minutes during the evening rush hour on the Suburban Railway network, killing 189 people and injuring over 800. Most victims were daily wage workers and office-goers trying to get home. The blasts occurred on trains near the Mahim, Bandra, Mira Road, Matunga, Khar, Jogeshwari, and Borivali stations. The bombs, made from RDX and ammonium nitrate inside pressure cookers, were detonated using timers, causing devastating damage to crowded train compartments.

Among the victims was Parag Sawant, a 26-year-old commuter who was severely injured in the blast near Mira Road station. He spent nine years in a coma before passing away in 2015, becoming the 189th life claimed by the attacks. Survivors recall the chaos and terror, with people thrown from the trains and the air thick with smoke and dust. Hospitals were overwhelmed, and the city was plunged into grief. Mumbai’s spirit of resilience shone through as trains resumed service the next day and the city paid tribute to the victims with silence and memorials. The attack remains one of the deadliest terror strikes on India’s financial capital.

2008 Mumbai Attacks (26/11) — India’s 9/11

From November 26–29, 2008, ten Pakistani terrorists from Lashkar-e-Taiba paralyzed Mumbai. More than 170 died, hundreds wounded. At the Taj Mahal Hotel, guests were burned alive; at Leopold Café, tourists were gunned down mid-meal.

Kavita Karkare, widow of ATS Chief Hemant Karkare, was left in shock and disbelief that the bulletproof vest her husband wore failed to protect him. The very gear meant to shield him from harm could not stop the bullets fired by Pakistani terrorists during the 26/11 Mumbai attacks. Her grief was compounded by the mysterious disappearance of the vest after the incident, raising serious questions about accountability and the quality of equipment provided to those on the front lines.

In Hotel Mumbai (2018), the horror of the attacks was vividly re-created—based on true acts of heroism. A chef, Hemant Oberoi, calmly led guests to safety amid chaos. Unarmed staff shielded strangers with their bodies. The Taj didn’t fall—its walls stood tall—but humanity did.

2016 Pathankot Airbase Attack — Defenders Ambushed

On January 2, 2016, Jaish-e-Mohammed terrorists breached the Pathankot Air Force Station. Seven soldiers died fighting. Among them was Garud Commando Gursewak Singh. His wife, Jaspreet Kaur, later recalled how he had texted her: he told her he would call later, but if he didn’t, she should go to sleep. “The call never came,” she said. The infiltrators came from Pakistan — again.

2016 Uri Attack — Soldiers Burned in Sleep

On September 18, 2016, 19 soldiers were killed at an army base in Uri, Kashmir. Some were burned alive in tents set on fire by infiltrators from Jaish-e-Mohammed. The silence after the attack was broken by wailing families, asking why their sons weren’t given a chance to fight.

India struck back with surgical strikes, but the pain remains — captured in the film "Uri: The Surgical Strike". The line "How's the Josh?" became a war cry — not just of revenge, but resilience.

2019 Pulwama Attack — A Convoy of Coffins

February 14, 2019 — A suicide bomber rammed his car into a convoy of CRPF jawans in Pulwama, Kashmir. 40 soldiers died. It was the worst attack on Indian forces in decades, carried out by Jaish-e-Mohammed, based in Pakistan.

This act of terror led to the Balakot airstrikes — a bold strike deep into Pakistan’s territory. But what can airstrikes heal, when a mother sits every night staring at a uniform she’ll never wash again?

The Never-Ending Grief

India’s grief is not historical — it’s ongoing. Every few years, a new bomb, a new blast, a new set of coffins draped in the tricolour. The terrorists may pull the trigger — but the ideology, weapons, training, and safe havens come from across the border.

For more information:

How the 1993 blasts changed Mumbai forever

Security breach at India’s parliament on 22nd anniversary of deadly attack

2006 Mumbai train bombings

Kavita Karkare, wife of top cop killed in 26/11 terror attacks, dies in Mumbai

Why India's response to Pathankot attack was 'a debacle'

What we know about India's strikes on Pakistan and Pakistan-administered Kashmir

India and Pakistan are in crisis again - here's how they de-escalated in the past

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