World | India
Mumbai hit by terrorist attacks
A huge explosion was heard from within Mumbai's Taj Hotel as commandos continued to battle militants
- Agencies
- Published: 22:02 November 26, 2008
- Indian Army personnel take positions outside the Taj Hotel in Mumbai
- Image Credit: AP
Mumbai: A senior India home ministry official said on Thursday that 20-30 people could still be held hostage in the Trident/Oberoi hotel in Mumbai after attacks by militants.
"Twenty to thirty people are expected to be still hostage at Oberoi hotel....Exact number is not known," M.L. Kumawat, special secretary for internal security at the home ministry, told a news conference.
He said that the 21st to the 8th floors in the Oberoi has been cleared by security agencies, while the ground floor to the 4th floor at the Taj hotel has also been also cleared.
A huge explosion was heard from within Mumbai's Taj Hotel on Thursday as commandos continued to battle militants responsible for coordinated attacks that killed 101 people in India's financial capital on Wednesday night.
Small groups of militants armed with automatic weapons and grenades burst into luxury hotels on Wednesday night during the coordinated attacks apparently aimed at tourists in India's financial capital Mumbai.
Some 17 hours after the late-evening assault, soldiers and militants were still exchanging intermittent fire and more than 100 people were trapped inside rooms of the Taj Mahal hotel.
Roy also said some people were still apparently being held hostage at the Trident/Oberoi Hotel. "That is why the operation is being conducted more sensitively to ensure there are no casualties of innocent people."
An Italian national was among the killed in the attacks, the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs said on Thursday.
A Japanese businessman was also killed in attacks while up to 10 Japanese nationals were trapped in the luxury hotels targeted by militants, officials said.
Meanwhile, the US administration is continuing to monitor attacks in Mumbai, but said it was not aware of any American casualties, despite reports that Westerners were targeted.
The White House and State Department both denounced the attacks by teams of heavily armed gunmen who stormed luxury hotels, a popular tourist attraction, hospitals and a crowded train station in a series of attacks, killing scores of people, wounding hundreds and taking hostages.
Militants took several people including many foreigners hostage in two of the city's five-star hotels: the Taj Mahal hotel, a 105-year-old city landmark, and the Trident Oberoi.
Earlier, police shot dead four gunmen and arrested nine suspects, officials said, adding that 12 policemen were killed, including Hemant Karkare, the chief of the police anti-terrorist squad in Mumbai.
Media reports said a militant group known as the Deccan Mujahideen claimed responsibility for the attacks.
One attacker in the Oberoi told India TV that seven attackers were holding hostages inside the luxury establisment.
"There are seven of us inside hotel Oberoi," the man identified as Sahadullah said. "We want all Mujahideens held in India released and only after that we will release the people."
At least 287 people were wounded in the attack.
Attackers targeted the Cafe Leopold, perhaps the most famous restaurant and hang-out for tourists in Mumbai, as well as hospitals and railway stations.
“I guess they were after foreigners, because they were asking for British or American passports,'' said Rakesh Patel, a British witness who lives in Hong Kong and was staying at the Taj hotel on business. “They had bombs.''
“They came from the restaurant and took us up the stairs,'' he told the NDTV news channel, smoke stains all over his face. “Young boys, maybe 20 years old, 25 years old. They had two guns.''
Police said targets included the luxury Taj and Oberoi hotels, with television stations showing the lobby of both hotels on fire and people being evacuated from the Oberoi with their hands on their heads.
Fresh explosions were heard in the early hours of Thursday.
“An encounter is going on at the two hotels, the situation is grave,'' Vilasrao Deshmukh, the chief minister told CNN-IBN TV. “Our men are on the job.''
Maharashtra state police chief A.N. Roy said attackers had fired automatic weapons indiscriminately, and used grenades, adding that they were still holed up in some buildings.
“These are terrorist strikes in at least seven places,'' he told the NDTV news channel.
“Unknown terrorists have gone with automatic weapons and opened fire indiscriminately. At a few places they even used grenades.''
Some of the injured were evacuated from the Taj on the hotel's golden luggage carts, while waiters in black and white formal wear and chefs were seen leaving the Oberoi.
Sourav Mishra, a reporter, was with friends at the Cafe Leopold when gunmen opened fire around 9:30 pm. He has received injuries and is in St. George's Hospital.
“I heard some gunshots around 9:30. I was with my friends. Something hit me. I ran away and fell on the road. Then somebody picked me up. I have injuries below my shoulder,'' Mishra said from a hospital bed he was sharing with three other people.
There were other attacks elsewhere.
“They entered the passenger hub of a station and started firing,'' A.K. Sharma, a Mumbai police government railway police commissioner told local television.
Sameeran Chakraborty, a Mumbai resident, told the NDTV news channel he heard a blast inside a car near the city airport.
“It was a big noise and one car was involved, definitely not more than that.''
India has suffered a wave of bomb attacks in recent years. Most have been blamed on Islamist militants, although police have also arrested suspected Hindu extremists thought to be behind some of the attacks.
Do you know anyone who has been affected by this? Have you spoken to them? What have they said? Tell us what happened.
Your comments
It seems that we are living at the mercy of terrorists. I think India has a useless intelligence service. The level of cruelty shows that these barbarians are from outside and not from India. They were showering bullets like water spray around on innocent people.
Saqeer S. V.
Dubai,UAE
Posted: November 27, 2008, 16:07
I strongly condemn this horrible act of violence. I pay the utmost condolence for those who died and got injured.
I wonder how they entered Mumbai and how they so well planned and knew where to go? There are also some other events going on like the election. It is too early to say what the terrorists' motives are. They do not demand anything they just spread fear.
Nasser
London,UK
Posted: November 27, 2008, 15:52
It is surprising to see these militants targeting tourist areas. It is also supposedly a VIP area so how did the terrorists manage to get in hotel. I think it is either they got help from the staff in the hotel, or the security was being careless. Laws need to be strict regarding such acts to make sure it does not happen again. I give my deepest condolences to all the people who have died in those attacks.
S. Victor
Sharjah,UAE
Posted: November 27, 2008, 15:08
It is very hard to accept that place like Mumbai is under attack. People should identify the exact criminals behind this and they should be put behind bars.
Abdul Rahim
Dubai,UAE
Posted: November 27, 2008, 15:07
Why is everyone criticising and commenting on government policies? People are dead and lives are still at risk. The level of calmness shown by people in Mumbai is mistaken for the non-ability to fight back. So what if the US tightened their security after September 9/11? We haven not done that because more than half of the other states in India come to Mumbai to make a living. We have a level of patience and it has been taken for granted by everyone in and around India. Yes, the government over the years has made wrong decisions and is at some point incapable of running the country, but the real deal is the people living there. Frustration is growing and the tolerance is lowering for Mumbaikers. So much for "of the people, by the people, for the people".
From A Reader
Abu Dhabi,UAE
Posted: November 27, 2008, 15:02
What is the motive behind these terrorist attacks on innocent people? Is it not the responsibility of every individual to inform the police when something suspicious is happening? Why blame the government alone? The international borders should be made more secure.
Pachhupal
Dubai,UAE
Posted: November 27, 2008, 14:21
A terrorist attack took place a couple of years ago in the US and since then, no terrorist dared to make another attack because the US's security system has tightened since then. However, in India, apart from the leaders giving speeches stating that they strongly condemn such acts, they have not taken severe steps against these terrorists. Hence such acts get repeated again and again.
Shivaprakash Nair
Fujairah,UAE
Posted: November 27, 2008, 14:02
This is shocking. Leaders should now stop discriminating and find the causes of frustration among the youth. Find lasting solution for economic advancement of all segments of Indian society.
Munshi
Lagos,Nigeria
Posted: November 27, 2008, 14:01
I think this is not a right time for questioning the goverment. We do have good leaders. It is just unfortunate that Mumbai has always come under the centre point of terrorism. It is not the goverment's fault. It can happen anywhere irrespective of the leaders or the goverment of the country.
Prathna
Dubai,UAE
Posted: November 27, 2008, 14:01
This shows the failure of our intelligence department's networking. I cannot imagine how they could bring in weapons and grenades without any local support. A law like POTA is the need of the hour. We should salute officers like Karkare and others.
Renji P. John
Dubai,UAE
Posted: November 27, 2008, 13:59
It is really surprising how the militants entered the country through sea route. What happened to our coast guards? Does this mean that anyone can enter the country through sea route? This has to be throughly investigated.
Mohan Das
Dubai,UAE
Posted: November 27, 2008, 13:59
It is very sad to know that again innocent people have lost their lives. It is difficult to understand how so many people with arms and ammunition could enter a city like Mumbai and go unnoticed?
From A Reader
Sharjah,UAE
Posted: November 27, 2008, 13:58
I am very saddened by this. These terrorists do not understand what sort of affect this attack will have on the people. I am very shocked by this. Where have the values gone? Where have all the ethics gone? Apparently they have disappeared. This sort of attack is just an example of what kind of future we have.
Kalam
Dubai,UAE
Posted: November 27, 2008, 13:55
Those terrorists who are attacking many places in India are brainless and have no fear of God. If they are brave they would not kill innocent people but instead would negotiate with the Indian government. The authorities should take military power in times like these and not only watching innocent people being shot by those terrorist. Furthermore, an immediate plan to evacuate those innocent people must take place.
Arlene
Dubai,UAE
Posted: November 27, 2008, 13:48
It is obvious that the Indian intelligence has again failed in detecting terrorism. Prime Minister Singh is too busy looking out for the nuclear deal and buying political support.
Bucks
High Wycombe,UK
Posted: November 27, 2008, 13:20
What did the authorities do when these militants entered the hotel? Whoever did this is barbaric and inhuman. We must try to identify terrorism as a separate group and should never relate it to religion because none of the religions existing in this world preaches terrorism.
S. Mohammad Shaik
Abu Dhabi,UAE
Posted: November 27, 2008, 12:52
I wonder after all this, where was the security? We need to live in peace, please help us.
From A Reader
Abu Dhabi,UAE
Posted: November 27, 2008, 12:50
Those terrorists do not understand that war is not the solution for everything, they are killing innocent people. These terrorists should be wiped off one by one. Live and let other people live.
The Indian government should take strong action now. This has gone out of control!
Sudarshan
Dubai,UAE
Posted: November 27, 2008, 12:00
It is very sad that some militant group is causing such terror activities. They kill mostly innocent people. How are the people safe in this city I cannot imagined? I feel that no one is secure in Mumbai.
Razi Hashmi
Dudai,UAE
Posted: November 27, 2008, 11:38
It is now a common occurrence in India. We blame only the government of India, but who elects them? We do. India needs good leaders.
Joyveer
Dubai,UAE
Posted: November 27, 2008, 11:19
The main root of these attacks should be identified and wiped off from the face of the earth.
Sam
Dubai,UAE
Posted: November 27, 2008, 11:16
This is shocking! I just heard that the CM- Maharastra, claims the militants took the sea route. Don't you feel something fishy about the haste announcement? The central authorities are too busy in adding golden feathers to their hats at the stake of our life.
D. Divakaran
Dubai,UAE
Posted: November 27, 2008, 11:01
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