Thaindian News

Mumbai, Nov 14 (ANI): Memories of 26/11 Mumbai terror attack still haunts the owner and staff of ‘Leopold Café’, the 138-year-old restaurant at the Colaba causeway here.

This restaurant was one of the first landmarks targeted by militants on 26/11.

Armed gunmen had stormed the café and opened fire randomly, killing many customers and two café staff.

The café was extensively damaged during the attacks.

The eating joint reopened four days after the attack, but was closed again by Police as a security measure.

However, regular activity recommenced soon.

The restaurant owners have kept the bullet marks on the wall and windowpanes as it is, as a bleak reminder of the attack.

However, as the anniversary of the dreadful Mumbai attack approaches, survivors of the tragedy recount the tale of horror.

Bharat Gujjar, supervisor of Leopold Café, who suffered bullet wounds on his stomach during the attack, said that although the memory of the strike still haunts them, life moved on.

“Life has certainly changed to an extent after the attack. My body is not same like before. There are some physical changes in my body and I lost seven kilograms. At that time we all were scared and honestly we still feel scared at times. But I am positive and whatever had to happen, it happened and we have moved on with our lives,” said Gujjar.

Eric Anthony, the manager of the restaurant, said that after the attack they have become more vigilant.

“That day for four days we could not sleep well because we saw death nearly eye to eye and I saw the terrorists face to face but after four days when the shutter was open we were back on our feet and everything was okay. One year has been okay…. One thing we should believe is that anything can happen anywhere. So we are ready for that. Now we have become more alert after the attack,” said Anthony.

India will observe the first anniversary of the Mumbai attacks that killed 166 people in the city on November 26 this year. Two luxurious hotels were also among the targets attacked by 10 gunmen last November.

Several people were held hostage for the next three days and at least 166 people were killed or died of suffocation when commandos smoked out the terrorists on November 28 last year. (ANI)