United Nations A Mumbai nurse who came face-to-face with the 26/11 terrorists at a hospital and protected 20 unborn babies gave a moving testimony before the UN Security Council about the horrors of terrorism and its lasting effects. Valiant Mumbai nurse tells UNSC of lasting toll of 26/11 night of hospital terror.
Speaking via video link from Mumbai, Anjali Vijay Kulthe said on Thursday that she brought “a voice to the shock and grief felt by the families of victims and survivors of terror attacks around the world”.
“Even today I shudder to remember the night of the terror attack when terrorists were killing human beings like vermin,” she said at a meeting of the Anti-Terrorism Council. She spoke in Hindi and it was simultaneously translated into five UN languages. Anjali Vijay Kulthe – a brave Nurse at Cama Hospital – who saved 20 pregnant women when 2 terrorists entered the hospital.
Britain’s Minister of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs Tariq Ahmad said in Hindi in the middle of his speech that “Anjaliji” was an inspiration for her bravery and courage in the face of terrorism, adding: “Hum sab ki trafh bahut, bahut danywad,” (on behalf of all, Thank you very much).
Kulthe, a nursing officer at Kama and Albaless Hospital, was on duty when Pakistan-based terrorists who entered the Mumbai city by sea entered the hospital.
She said that one of my assistants was injured in the firing by two terrorists and she took him to the casualty ward on the ground floor for treatment.
As she was returning to her neonatal ward on the first floor, she saw two terrorists mowing down two security guards and she ran to close the iron doors of her ward and move the patients to the pantry for safety.
While locking the door, Kulthe said he saw two militants rush to the second floor and heard continuous gunfire punctuated by a grenade explosion.
As she feared, one patient went into labor due to stress-induced high blood pressure, but a doctor couldn’t come to take charge and Kuthe said she panicked.
“Suddenly I felt my nurse’s uniform giving me courage, and my passion for nursing gave me clarity of thought,”
“With faith, I managed to take my patient to the labor room and after a while we were able to midwife a healthy baby. Then I returned to my ward to check on my other 19 patients,” she said, and they stayed there. Darkness prevailed until the next morning when the police came to their rescue.
Kulthe said that later when she was led to identify the surviving terrorist, she said with a hint of remorse or shame, “Ma’am, you recognized me right. I am Ajmal Kasab”.
“The sense of victory of the terrorists still haunts me,” Kulthe said.
“We the victims of 26/11 Mumbai attacks are waiting for justice. Because the sponsors of this brutal attack are still free after 14 years. Many lives have been lost. Many children have become orphans.”
About her tragic role, she said: “I am happy that I was able to save the lives of 20 pregnant women and their unborn babies.” I urge the international community through this concept to bring the sponsors of 26/11 Mumbai attacks and bring them to justice. Many diplomats who spoke at the meeting praised her courage.
Kenya’s Permanent Representative Martin Kimani called her “an inspiration to many people around the world”.
