Sandeep Unnikrishnan

Sandeep Unnikrishnan (Malayalam: സന്ദീപ് ഉണ്ണിക്കൃഷ്ണന്‍,Kannada: ಸಂದೀಪ್ ಉನ್ನೀಕೃಷ್ಣನ್,Hindi: संदीप उन्नीकृष्णन) March 15, 1977 – November 28, 2008) was a Major in the Indian Army serving in the elite National Security Guards (NSG). He was killed in action while fighting terrorists in the November 2008 Mumbai attacks.^[1]

“Do not come up, I will handle them.” These were probably the last words which Major Sandeep Unnikrishnan told his men as he was hit by bullets while engaging well armed terrorists inside the Taj Hotel, Mumbai during the Black Tornado operation.^[2]

Later NSG sources clarified that when a commando got injured during the operation, Major Unnikrishnan arranged for his evacuation and started chasing the terrorists himself. The terrorists escaped to another floor of the hotel and during the chase Major Unnikrishnan was seriously injured and succumbed to his injuries.^[2]

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Place of birth	Calicut, Kerala
Place of death	Mumbai, Maharashtra
Cremation	Hebbal, Bangalore, Karnataka
Allegiance	India
Service/branch	Indian Army, National Security Guards
Years of service	1999-2008
Rank	Major, Commando
Unit	NSG HQ, Manesar

In 1995, we were a bunch of gangly 18-year-olds, wondering what the hell we were doing climbing up Sinhgad fort on a miserable, rainy day, when I first met Unni. He was an ikki, a first termer, bone-weary, but always gung-ho. When we made it to the top, the first stop was for a fill of water. Soggy, bushed and thirsty, we ran to the natural spring that has been feeding soldiers since the days of Chhatrapati Shivaji. Unni was the first to reach and started drawing water from the well. We lined up with our canteens, but a tourist first held out her water bottle. Unni filled it. Then, another. Unni filled that too. Within seconds, there was a long line of tourists waiting for water. Without a word - and with a smile to us - Unni dutifully doled out his generosity. He never got to us. He himself never got a sip. The order came to move on. ^[8]

– An NDA coursemate

Operation Black Tornado

On the night of 26 Nov 2008, several iconic buildings in South Mumbai were attacked by terrorists. One of the buildings where the terrorists held people hostage was the 100 year old Taj Mahal Palace Hotel.

Major Unnikrishnan was the team commander of 51 SAG deployed in the operation at the Taj Mahal Hotel to rid the building of terrorists and rescue the hostages. He entered the Hotel in a group of 10 commandos and reached the sixth floor through the staircase. As the team descended the stairs, they sensed the terrorist at the third floor. The terrorists had held a few women as hostages in a room and locked it from the inside. After breaking open the door, the round of fire by the terrorists hit Commando Sunil Yadav, who was Major Unnikrishnan's buddy pair.^[12]

Major Unnikrishan led his team from the front and engaged the terrorists in a fierce gunfight. He arranged for Commando Sunil Yadav's evacuation and regardless of personal safety chased the terrorists who, meanwhile, escaped to another floor of the hotel, and while doing so Major Sandeep continuously engaged them.^[13] In the encounter that followed, he was shot from the back, seriously injured and succumbed to injuries.^[14][15][16]

Source : Wiki