Vigil remembers those lost in Mumbai

While wind gusts blew and snow fell, students gathered in front of the Sample Gates to commemorate the lives lost in the recent terrorist attacks in Mumbai.

Through Monday’s freezing weather, members of the Association for India’s Development stood facing Kirkwood Avenue, holding poster boards with images of the victims.

Computer science staff member Suresh Marru said the Bloomington chapter of AID – one of 40 worldwide – gathered Monday to show its sympathy and solidarity with the slain.

Students held posters that read “Hail the martyrs” with pictures of dead police and military personnel. Others said “There is no way to peace. Peace is the way.” and “We feel the same as you and we stand by you.”

Mumbai native and political science doctoral student Manjeet Pardesi spent his break in the city during the attacks. He watched television in his parent’s home on Tuesday night, as broadcasters announced gang warfare broke out. An hour later, the stations revealed organized terrorists were striking the city simultaneously.

“The first hour was absolute and total confusion,” Pardesi said. “I was shocked, but these things do happen in India.”

Pardesi finally left his home Friday and traveled to one of the sieged areas. He said the usual stiflingly crowded streets of Mumbai, formerly Bombay, were deserted.

“There was a sense of fear,” Pardesi said. “Bombay has never had that. There was a palpable sense of fear, which I have never seen in Bombay before.”

Student Tejas Totade said the 60-hour siege must have reminded Americans of Sept. 11. While India has been attacked before, Totade said the government must make significant changes in security.

“I hope that the world community – people who respect freedom and liberty ... I hope they respect this incident as a slap on the face of democracy itself,” Totade said. “This is enough. ... Something has to be done.”

Graduate student Amit Bhatia spent Thanksgiving break in Chicago and kept in constant contact with family and friends in Mumbai. He said a friend who lives near one of the destroyed hotels thought the initial gunshots were firecrackers.

“What was more horrendous to see these are places – these are common places, layman places, where everyone goes,” Bhatia said. “What shocks us now is when we go back, it’s going to be scary whether we can walk freely in the city or not, whether we’ll be safe home in the night or not, everyday.”

Bhatia said he watched television for three days, making sure his family and friends were safe. He said despite his fear, he will not let it paralyze him or change his future plans.

“I don’t feel scared to go back,” Bhatia said. “But it’s just sort of unfortunate that we have to think before going out that something might happen. You have to take that extra precaution every time in your own country.”