It’s been nearly 17 years since the 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks shook the entire country. But for people like Sabeera, one of the survivors, the nightmare never really ended.
She lived through the horror. She suffered terrible injuries. And since then, she’s been fighting a long, lonely battle—for justice, for support, and just to survive.
Speaking to NewsX, Sabeera shared her heartbreaking story. And her message is clear: the government promised help, but never delivered.
That terrifying night
When asked about the night of the attacks, Sabeera didn’t hold back. “वो काली रात तो मैं कभी भूल ही नहीं पाऊंगी,” she said. (I will never forget that dark night.)
She had gone out to teach tuition classes and was heading home when the blast happened. A taxi pulled up, she got in—and the next thing she knew, there was a massive explosion.
“20-30 फुट मुझे आगे उठा के बहाया तब आग लग गया वहां पे,” she recalled. (I was thrown 20–30 feet ahead and then there was fire everywhere.)
She was caught in flames and thrown out, badly injured, bleeding, and in shock. Her son, who was nearby, was hurt too.
Dumped at the hospital, left without help
When she woke up, she was in JJ Hospital, lying near the morgue, completely unattended. She had been left there for 22 days without anyone realizing she was alive.
“22 दिन सलाई के ऊपर रख दिए… तब जाकर मेरा एक ऑपरेशन हुआ,” she said. (They left me like that for 22 days… then finally one operation was done.)
She said her family found her by chance, and only after media pressure did doctors even start treating her. At the time, senior leaders like Sonia Gandhi and Manmohan Singh visited and promised help. But according to Sabeera, none of those promises were kept.
“I spent ₹15 lakh. I got nothing back.”
Despite everything she went through, Sabeera says she’s never been reimbursed for her medical bills.
“मेरा खर्चा जो हुआ है 15 लाख… आज तक मेरा बिल का पैसा वहां से नहीं मिला हुआ है,” she said. (I spent ₹15 lakh, and I still haven’t received the money.)
She’s had 11 surgeries on her leg. For two years, she was stuck in the hospital. Today, she walks using crutches. A doctor has certified her as handicapped, and she holds up her crutches to show what her life looks like now.
She says she had to sell her land, her jewelry, and even took loans on interest to pay for treatments.
“मैंने खेत बेची, दागीना बेची, और आज ब्याज लोन ले लेकर के मैंने अपना इलाज कराया,” she said. (I sold my fields, my jewelry, and took loans to get treatment.)
Even now, she needs regular painkillers and injections—some costing up to ₹1 lakh each.
“मेरे आज इंजेक्शन जो लग रहा है 1 लाख का इंजेक्शन डॉक्टर ने लिख के दिया है… मेरे पास इतने पैसे नहीं है,” she said. (The injection prescribed costs ₹1 lakh… I don’t have that kind of money.)
She showed prescriptions that list medicines worth ₹15,000 to ₹20,000, which she needs constantly.
“My son was injured too, but we got nothing”
Her son was also hurt during the attack, but she says neither of them received any compensation.
“हमारा बेटा भी इंजर्ड हुआ था… एक आज कंपनसेशन मुवाजे मेरे बच्चे को नहीं मिला और मुझे भी नहीं मिला हुआ,” she said. (My son was also injured… neither of us got any compensation.)
She’s been asking for a monthly pension or even a job for her son. She says she qualifies for many of the government’s disability schemes, but no one has reached out.
“क्या सरकार एक स्टॉल नहीं लगा सकती हैंडीकैप का?” she asked. (Can’t the government even set up one stall for the disabled?)
“I wrote thousands of letters, but no reply”
Over the years, Sabeera says she has written to everyone—from the Prime Minister to the Health Minister, from state officials to top bureaucrats.
“हजारों लेटर मैंने लिखती हूं लेकिन आज तक मुझे इंसाफ नहीं मिला हुआ है,” she said. (I’ve written thousands of letters, but I still haven’t received justice.)
She says she’s tired of being ignored.
Sabeera points out that five or six governments have changed since 2008, but victims like her were forgotten.
“कम से कम विक्टिम लोगों का जो छूट गए हैं… उनको इंसाफ नहीं मिला,” she said. (At the very least, the victims who were left behind never got justice.)
“They should suffer like we did”
While India is now preparing to try Tahawwur Rana, one of the alleged masterminds of 26/11, Sabeera says the justice system needs to do more than just jail the terrorists.
“जैसे मैं 18 साल से स्ट्रगल करते आई हूं… वैसे उनको भी रेंगना चाहिए,” she said. (Just like I’ve been crawling through life for 18 years… they should crawl too.)
She doesn’t think even a death sentence can truly heal what was broken. “हमारा तकलीफ नहीं भरने वाला,” she said. (Our pain isn’t going to heal.)
All she wants now is some basic support: a monthly pension, medical care, a job for her son, or even acknowledgment of her struggle.
“मुझे क्या इतनी सारी योजनाएं आती हैं तो… क्या सरकार एक स्टॉल नहीं लगा सकती हैंडीकैप का?” (So many government schemes are launched—can’t they even set up one help desk for the disabled?)