2001 parliament attack
PM Modi paying homage to Parliament attack victimsPIB India

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday paid homage to the security personnel who martyred during the 2001 Parliament terrorist attack. Other politicians across party lines also paid floral tributes to the ones who died in the attack. 

Tributes were paid at the plaque in Parliament House on Tuesday morning. Finance Minister Arun Jaitley, Home Minister Rajnath Singh, Lok Sabha Speaker Sumitra Mahajan, Vice President Hamid Ansari also paid homage to the martyred soldiers. Parliament is in session currently. 

Fifteen years ago, on December 13, two people from Parliament Security Service of the Rajya Sabha, five Delhi Police Personnel and a woman constable of the Central Reserve Police Force, were killed in an attack by terrorists, who tried to enter Parliament. A CPWD gardener also lost his life. 

Five terrorists with links to Lashkar-e-Taiba and Jaish-e-Mohammed groups had attempted to enter Parliament around 11.20 am in a white ambassador car, used by the Indian government usually. 

Then vice-president Krishan Kant was readying to leave Parliament after it was adjourned. The car used by the terrorists had run into Kant's car, which was parked at Gate No. 11. 

More than 100 MPs were present in Parliament during the attack. However, then prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee, leader of Opposition Sonia Gandhi had left but others including LK Advani were still present there. 

The terrorists had divided themselves into two groups, while one group went towards Gate No. 5, another went to Gate No. 9. Three terrorists were gunned down at Gate No. 9. Another one was killed near the other gate. 

The fifth terrorist, who wore a suicide vest, was killed at Gate No. 1. 

The attack was over in 30 minutes by when Indian security forces had taken control. 

Later investigations revealed the role of Afzal Guru, a Kashmiri separatist, who was hanged on February 9, 2013. Despite Guru appealing against the death sentence, the Supreme Court had upheld it. President Pranab Mukherjee had also denied him mercy.