Source: Rediff
GANDHINAGAR, INDIA, September 26, 2002: They are the unknown and unsung heroes, the few brave men who made a real difference in containing the massacre at the Akshardham temple in Gandhinagar, Gujarat: police officers who crawled into the temple to take on the terrorists in the middle of the night; commandos martyred even as they helped finish off the terrorists; temple volunteers whose quick reactions saved many devotees; and the ascetics who calmed the people and assisted the security forces. The ordinary citizens include Atul, one of the first to spot the terrorists. Instead of running for his life, he alerted the entire compound by intercom, a critical factor in reducing the death toll as other volunteers quickly shut doors throughout the complex. Sanjay Khamar and Sanjay Kulkarni in the face of gunfire locked the doors of the media center with 80 people safely inside. Kordsinh slammed shut the main doors of the temple, getting shot in the process. Security officers believe had Kordsinh not shown the presence of mind to shut the main temple door, the terrorists could have captured many of the devotees inside, leading to a long-drawn hostage crisis. Finally, despite the mayhem all around, the swamis remained calm and kept a vigil over devotees all through the night. The information they provided the police and the paramilitary proved priceless. Brahmavihari Swami and his colleagues briefed state police officers and National Security Guards commandos about the temple layout, using the help of a wooden model of the temple complex. Brigadier Raj Seethapathy, who headed the NSG team at Akshardham, acknowledged that the operation became “very easy” because of the brilliant briefing by the swamis. Tragically, one swami, Parameshwar Swami, was killed in the terrorist attack. He sustained injuries and breathed his last on September 25, when he was evacuated from the complex. His colleagues mourned in silence, and controlling their grief, issued a statement calling for peace, harmony and religious tolerance.