'Ravaged Trident haunts US'

Pune couple, who stayed at the hotel on 26/11, were shell shocked to see blood stains and bullet marks in their room

Pune couple, who stayed at the hotel on 26/11, were shell shocked to see blood stains and bullet marks in their room

A year after 26/11, memories of the terror have not been easy to erase.

It's especially difficult for those whose birthdays and anniversaries coincide with,u00a0for their celebrations will always be marred by the violence unleashed on that fateful night.

Pune-based couple Amiya and Parul Satpathy, whose wedding anniversary falls on November 26, consider themselves lucky that theyu00a0 did not witness the attacks first hand.

However, the sight of the ruined hotel has scarred them for life.

Guests at the Trident during November last year, the two left the hotel only minutes before the terrorists wreaked havoc.

Luck by Chance: Amiya and Parul Satpathy left the hotel minutes before the terror attacks

"As soon as we left, I got a call from a colleague informing us that there is some firing at the hotel. He asked us not to return.

Within minutes we learnt it was a terror attack," said Amiya, a consultant who was in Mumbai last year on a business trip.

Stuck to TV

Though the couple was not at the Trident, they were glued to the television all night, hoping that their colleagues stranded at the hotel are safe.
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"For the first time, my wife accompanied me on an official visit as we plannedu00a0 our fourth anniversary in Mumbai, but the tragedy ruined it all," he added.

But the nightmare did not end that night. When the Satpathys went back to the Trident to collect their luggage they were horrified to see the hotel in complete disarray.

"The bullet marks on the walls, the blood stains on the floor sent a chill down my spine. I cringe at the sound of firecrackers. The memories of the ravaged hotel haunt me," said Parul.

However, this year the couple wanted to keep away from all the drama and hence went to Madurai where they had a low-key celebration.