India Under Seige

It has now been approximately 21 hours since the first news of terrorists executing at least 10 coordinated attacks in Mumbai, India- the city that was called Bombay for so long. Tbe death toll in the synchronized attacks at 10 places across the city rose to 101, including nine foreigners. The commando action triggered intense gun-fights and loud explosions at the two hotels where over 100 people are held hostage or trapped.

The terrorists are believed to have come to Mumbai by a ship ‘M V Alpha’ and the Coast Guard launched a hunt for the vessel, pressing two aircraft, choppers into service. Five terrorists have been killed in the operations that commenced late last night soon after targeted a railway station, three five-star hotels, a popular restaurant and a Jewish centre.

There were reports that 10 to 12 terrorists were holed up in Oberoi and they had made ransom demands. However, the government ruled out any negotiations, with Director General of Police A N Roy asserting that “either we will kill them or nab them alive”. Reports are breaking that 10 hostages have just walked free from this hotel.

At least 14 policemen have been killed across the city, including the head of the Maharashtra Anti-Terror Squad Hemant Karkare, who was shot three times. Well-known encounter specialist Vijay Salaskar is also dead. Additional Commissioner of Police Sadanand Date is critical. Every top line anti-terror force in the country has been pushed into Mumbai including commandos of the National Security Guard, Marine Commandos and Army commandos.

There are also reports of low intensity blast in Ville Parle and grenade attack in Santa Cruz. Two blasts have been reported in Napean Sea road area of south Mumbai. Many foreigners have been held hostage by the terrorists. “Gunmen took 15 hostages and half of them foreigners,” said an eye-witness at Taj hotel. “Gunmen wanted anyone with British or American passport,” said another eye-witness.

Five terrorists are killed, two escaped and nine have been arrested. An unknown organization called the Deccan Mujahideen has taken the responsibility for the terror attacks. The attackers are believed to be from Pakistan. Mumbai looked like a war zone as sharp shooters of army, NSG and other security forces stormed the landmark hotels to overwhelm the terrorists holed out there after several residents were rescued in the wee hours. Raging fire and plumes of black smoke were seen billowing from the central dome of the century-old heritage Taj hotel opposite the Gateway of India as firemen struggled to douse them.

Loud explosions, punctuated by gun-fire, could be heard at regular intervals through the day as commandos took on the terrorists. State Home Minister R R Patil said authorities had “vital clues” about the attacks but gave no details. The foreigners killed in the incidents included one each from Britain, Japan, Australia and Italy.

There were unconfirmed reports about two US nationals being among those killed. The DGP said all hostages in Taj have been rescued. However. A number of people are stuck at Taj hotel as operations were underway. Some people also remained trapped at Trident hotel and Nariman House where the operations to flush out terrorists continued till late in the day.

Intense exchange of fire was witnessed at Nariman House, a residential complex with a Jewish prayer hall, where also a hostage situation was prevailing. There were unconfirmed reports of a similar situation in Cama hospital. The flushing out operation was being carried out by the commandos of elite National Security Guards (NSG) along with those from Army and Navy. As the terror incidents spread a sense of unease in the metropolis, schools and colleges were ordered closed.

The Bombay Stock Exchange also did not function. Suburban trains and city buses operated normally but without usual rush. Except for cancellation of three international flights, domestic air services to Mumbai were maintained. The security situation in Mumbai was reviewed at the Union Cabinet meeting chaired by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh in Delhi. Union Home Minister Shivraj Patil, who visited Mumbai, briefed the Cabinet on the situation.

Eighteen marine commandos were rushed into the Taj Mahal Hotel from their base INS Abhimanyu at Karanja across the harbour, an hour after the western naval command received a request for assistance from the Maharashtra government. The Marcos battled the terrorists and cleared over 40 suites in the old hotel until the arrival of the Black Cat commandos who were flown in from New Delhi early on Wednesday morning.

Shots are still being fired in the hotels, and it is not clear whether they are from the Indian military forces or from the terrorists.

Newstrack India reports that this “seems like India’s 9-11″, and that:

This is a very big terror operation, and perhaps an even bigger conspiracy. It’s as if India is at war with a handful of deep-rooted enemy, who have gotten a free ride to bomb explosions, indiscriminate attacks with AK-47 and hand grenade. In all, the unspecified terrorists have struck at 10 places in the economic capital of India, killing more than 100 people and injuring more than 600 people.

But what is mind-boggling is total intelligence failure. With 20-30 terrorists enter Mumbai by boat with sophisticated weapons and spread terror to at 10 places, causing so huge a damage, yet intelligence and security agencies have no clue! What can be more deplorable and frustrating that such an operation is totally unreported by the intelligence agencies.

However, while Indian intelligence and security agencies still groping to identify the terrorists who have struck at the country’s financial capital, three Australian victims have now come out describing them as ‘young boys’. Two young Australian tourists, David Coker (23) and his partner Katie Anstee (24), who were among the first to come face-to-face with the terrorists in metropolis’ famous bar ‘afe Leopold’ in Colaba said that the terrorist were very ‘young’.

It all started at about 9.30 pm when I switched on the TV. One after another news pouring in like the one I saw in 2001 one gloomy evening as the Twin Towers came crushing down. Five-star hotels like Oberoi and Taj, hospitals like GT and Cama and CST railway station were the primary targets where rich, influential and foreign tourists stay. And in no time terror trails escalated to parts of Mumbai, making it a vulnerable city with people running helter and skelter for safety.

Quite sadly, among the dead are ATS chief Hemant Karkare, who was heading the Malegaon blast probe, along with two senior police officers. Karkare was gunned down when he was leading an operation at Hotel Taj against terrorists who had taken 15 people, including seven foreigners as hostages. He was hit by three bullets in his chest. Newstrack wrote yesterday about threat to his life.

Then the India Army moved in to assist local police in flushing out terrorists holed up in Taj and Oberoi hotels, along with about 200 NSG commandoes who worked hard to complete the operation at Taj Hotel, while that at Trident is going on.

What are we made to listen to? Stay calm and maintain harmony. This is a cowardly act. This will not happen again, and yet it happens at regular intervals. In the last 15 years, Mumbai has witnessed four major terrorist attacks. Remember July 11, 2006 when more than 200 people were killed in seven blasts on suburban trains and stations, while in August, 2003, 46 people lost their lives in two blasts including one near the Gateway of India. But the biggest was on March 12, 1993 when a series of bomb blasts left 257 dead and around 700 injured at the Bombay Stock Exchange, hotels, theatres, passport office, Air India building and Sahar Airport, etc.

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