The 2008 Mumbai terror attack accused Tahawwur Rana is being brought back to India by a National Investigation Agency (NIA) team. The current NIA chief is Sadanand Date, who won the President’s police medal for gallantry for his role in the attacks.
Date had rushed to the Cama and Albless hospital in Mumbai’s Fort area when he heard of the attackers’ presence. He managed to detain terrorists Ajmal Kasab and Abu Ismail at the hospital for a long time, even after being injured in a grenade attack.
Who is Sadanand Date and what role did he play during the 26/11 terror attacks?
Who is Sadanand Date?
The 1990-batch Maharashtra cadre IPS officer Sadanand Date is the current chief of the NIA. Date comes from a humble background — he delivered newspapers to make ends meet while his mother worked as a domestic help. Date went on to occupy important postings, including the first commissioner of the Mira Bhayander Vasai Virar (MBVV) Commissionerate, joint commissioner (law & order) and crime branch in Mumbai.
Date holds a doctorate from Pune university in his hometown and is also a qualified cost and management accountant.
What role did Date play in the 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks?
Date, who was the additional commissioner of police (central region) when the 26/11 attacks took place, rushed to CSMT where the attackers had been spotted. As he found that terrorists had gone towards the Cama and Albless hospital where women and children were present, he along with a team of officers rushed there.
He got caught up in a grenade attack lobbed from the terrace of the hospital due to which he sustained injuries. Hearing the radio message about his injury, a team of police officers, including Hemant Karkare, Ashok Kamte, and Vijay Salaskar, went to the hospital in a vehicle. They were all killed.
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Date, in an injured state, entered into a gun fight with the terrorists, who were holding several people hostage. Thanks to Date’s efforts, Kasab and Ismail had to leave without the hostages. Date also shot at and injured Ismail.
How did Date come to be associated with the case again?
In March 2024, Date was appointed the NIA chief. While the Mumbai Police had probed the 26/11 attacks case and filed a chargesheet, the NIA in 2009 had registered an FIR in connection with the conspiracy aspect of the attacks.
It was the NIA that had sent an extradition request for Rana, and hence, when the US agreed to extradite him, it was a team from the Date-led NIA that went to get Rana back to India.
Date will oversee the probe against him in India.
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