Major Sandeep Unnikrishnan killed at Mumbai Taj encounter

Television reports said it was the start of an assault by the para-military National Security Guard to flush out the militants. Unfortunately NSG commando Major Sandeep Unnikrishnan was killed at the Mumbai Taj Encounter. “Major Sandeep was leading a team and during the operations two of his colleagues sustained bullet injuries. In a bid to save them Sandeep turned back. The bullets fired by the terrorists pierced him. On November 26, he had called us and said that one of his childhood friends is getting married in the city on December 17. He had planned to attend that marriage,” Mr. Unnikrishnan , father of the brave major said.The Jewish centre was one of three pockets in the Mumbai where forces were battling die-hard militants, more than 24 hours after the band of heavily armed fighters killed at least 127 people in coordinated attacks.

Major Sandeep was ambitious, talented and a brave soul, said his friends and neighbours. He joined the National Defence Academy and was commissioned in the Bihar 7th Regiment in 1999.

The witness said troops fired into the Nariman House, apparently to provide cover, as commandos rappelled down ropes from helicopters that made at least three sorties. Police said militants were still holed up as well at the Taj Mahal hotel and the nearby Oberoi-Trident hotel along with an unknown number of hostages.

Another witness said commandos also entered the Oberoi-Trident on Friday morning, although there were no immediate signs of fighting. The strike seemed aimed at crippling the financial capital’s ability to draw foreign investment.

“The operation to clean up the Nariman House is still going on,” Director General of National Security Guard (NSG) J K Dutt told reporters adding “it is just a matter of time and it will end soon”.