September 24, 2002, started like any other humid afternoon in Gandhinagar. The pink sandstone of the Akshardham temple complex was glowing under the late afternoon sun. Families were wandering through the lush gardens. Kids were eyeing the snacks. Then, at 4:45 PM, a white Ambassador car pulled up at Gate 3. Two men stepped out. They weren't there to pray.
In an instant, the peace shattered.
The Akshardham temple Gujarat attack wasn't just a local tragedy; it was a moment that put the entire country on a knife-edge. Honestly, when you look back at the details today, it’s a miracle the death toll wasn't even higher than it was.
The Chaos at Gate 3
The two attackers, later identified by some as Murtaza Hafiz Yasin and Ashraf Ali Mohammad Farooq, were young. Maybe 20 or 25 years old. They carried heavy haversacks. When temple volunteers tried to stop them for a routine security screening, the men didn't argue. They just jumped the seven-foot-high perimeter fence.
They started firing immediately.
The sound of AK-47s echoed off the stone walls. People didn't know where to run. The gunmen moved toward the central walkway, tossing grenades like they were nothing. One grenade landed in a bookstore. By some stroke of luck, it didn't explode inside, or the initial carnage would have been much worse.
But the attackers were relentless. They headed for the main monument.
Why the Doors Stayed Shut
This is the part of the story that sounds like a movie, but it's cold, hard fact. As the gunmen charged toward the 15-foot doors of the main temple, the supervisor, Khodsinh Jadhav, and other staff saw them coming. They didn't freeze. They sprinted.
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They managed to slam those massive doors shut just seconds before the gunmen reached them. Inside, 35 people were caught in prayer. Those doors were the only thing between them and a massacre.
Frustrated, the attackers turned their attention elsewhere. They found their way into Exhibition Hall 1. A multimedia show was running. It was full of men, women, and children. The gunmen pounced. They entered through an exit door and opened fire on the audience. This was where the bulk of the casualties happened. It was a bloodbath.
Operation Vajra Shakti: The Black Cats Arrive
By 5:15 PM, then-Chief Minister Narendra Modi had already called the Deputy Prime Minister, L.K. Advani. They needed the best. They needed the "Black Cat" commandos of the National Security Guard (NSG).
But Delhi is far from Gandhinagar.
While the NSG was being airlifted, the local Gujarat police and State Commandos had to hold the line. It was messy. R.B. Brahmbhatt, the Gandhinagar DSP, got injured but actually came back to the fight after a quick hospital trip. That's the kind of grit we're talking about.
The NSG arrived at the complex around 10:10 PM. They dubbed the mission Operation Vajra Shakti.
A Long, Cold Night
The temple is huge. 23 acres. Plenty of places to hide. The attackers had taken up positions in the parikrama—the elevated outer perimeter. They had the high ground.
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The commandos spent the night playing a deadly game of cat and mouse. They used flares to light up the sky. Every time a shadow moved, lead flew. It wasn't until the early morning of September 25 that the end came. Subedar Suresh Chand Yadav managed to get close to one of the gunmen. He killed him in close-quarter combat but lost his own life in the process. He was a hero, plain and simple.
The second gunman was picked off shortly after. By 6:45 AM, it was over.
The final count:
- 33 people dead (including 1 NSG commando and 2 state police/commandos).
- Over 80 people injured.
- Two terrorists neutralized.
The Investigation That Fell Apart
You’d think a case this high-profile would be an open-and-shut legal victory. It wasn't. Not even close.
Initially, the Gujarat Police arrested six men. In 2006, a special POTA (Prevention of Terrorism Act) court sentenced three of them—Adam Ajmeri, Shan Miya, and Mufti Abdul Qayyum Mansuri—to death. The others got long prison sentences. The Gujarat High Court upheld this in 2010.
Then came 2014.
The Supreme Court of India took a look at the evidence and basically tore the prosecution's case to shreds. The justices didn't just acquit the men; they slammed the police for "incompetence." They said the story "crumbles down at every juncture."
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The court found that the evidence was thin and the investigation was mishandled. After 11 years in jail, the six men walked free. To this day, the question of who exactly planned the logistics behind those two gunmen remains a point of intense debate and frustration for the victims' families.
The "Akshardham Response"
If you talk to people in Gujarat about that day, they often mention Pramukh Swami Maharaj, the spiritual leader of the BAPS Swaminarayan Sanstha at the time.
The state was a tinderbox. The 2002 riots had happened only months earlier. People were terrified that this attack would trigger another round of communal violence.
Pramukh Swami Maharaj did something unexpected. He didn't call for revenge. He called for peace. He sprinkled sanctified water on the spots where both the victims and the attackers had fallen. It sounds simple, but that gesture is widely credited with preventing a massive retaliatory riot. It’s now studied as a masterclass in "peace-building" during a crisis.
What We Learned (And What You Should Know)
Visiting Akshardham today is a very different experience than it was in early 2002. If you go, you'll notice the security is intense.
- Security Infrastructure: The attack changed how religious sites in India are protected. You'll see X-ray machines, multiple layers of frisking, and a heavy police presence.
- The Memorial: There is a dedicated space to remember the "martyrs" of the attack. It’s a somber reminder that even places of peace aren't immune to the outside world.
- Legal Legacy: The 2014 acquittal remains a landmark case in Indian law regarding the misuse of anti-terror laws and the necessity of "proof beyond reasonable doubt."
If you’re planning a visit to Gandhinagar, go for the architecture and the culture, but take a second to look at Gate 3. It’s a reminder of a Tuesday that changed Gujarat forever.
Next Steps for Understanding the Event:
To get a full picture of the Akshardham temple Gujarat attack, you should look into the Supreme Court judgment of May 16, 2014 (Adambhai Sulemanbhai Ajmeri v. State of Gujarat). It provides a fascinating, if sobering, look at how the legal system handles terrorism cases. Additionally, the documentary-style retellings of "Operation Vajra Shakti" offer a tactical perspective on how the NSG operates in high-stakes urban environments.