When there were spate of bomb blast in other parts of India, I was expecting that it was just a matter of time that India’ premier financial capital Mumbai would come under terror attack. But I had never expected that this time the magnitude of attack would be so massive in terms of duration of attack and death tolls. This time it wasn’t setting off time bombs in busy market places or institutions. They chose the sea route to come to Mumbai and launch a land attack. On Wednesday night the television had breaking news that guns shot were heard in CST station and at Leopold café (beer parlor frequented by foreigners). It was assumed that it might be underworld gang war. On knowing that similar attack had taken place in Taj hotel, Trident Oberoi , and western suburbs it became clear what we were seeing was terrorist attacks.
I interviewed SS Mishra who owns a restaurant inside CST and was eye witness to the terrorist attack. He said it was around 10 pm that he heard sound of gun shots. He saw two men, in their twenties with rucksack on their back, had AK 47 in their hands. They were firing indiscriminately at the passengers who were waiting at the terminus for boarding trains to their respective destinations. He and his employees ducked under the table while bullets were flying all over the place. He with his men managed to escape towards the kitchen. After half an hour when the firing stopped they stepped out. what he saw was simply horror. The area was a pool of blood with dismembered bodies lying all over. They rushed the injured to the nearby St George hospital.
At Taj hotel a fierce gun battle had taken place for over 60 hours leaving large number of deaths including many foreign tourists. Most of them were taken hostages and lined up against the room wall and fired at, killing them cold-bloodedly. The same happened at Trident hotel. At Nariman house a Jew family and some members were tortured killed brutally.
I spoke to Indian born British national Sir Ghulam Noon a well known businessman known as Curry King in London. He was staying at in the night of 26/11 when the terrorist entered Taj hotel and began mowing down visitors ruthlessly. He was lucky to remain inside his room before he was rescued by the firemen.
In all more than 183 people lost their lives and left 300 people injured. The people of Mumbai is very angry and venting it out in television interviews and taking out protest march and candle light vigil.
I was interviewed by Radio Pakistan live via my cell about the terror attack. They were keen to project that it was Deccan Mujahedeen group from India who had carried out the attack. I told them that one of the terrorist has been caught alive and from his confession all evidence points out to Pakistan, that was when the interview was stopped quite abruptly.
When terror attack was this magnitude and brutality take place some head from the government has to roll. India’s Home minister Shivraj Patel and Maharashtra home minster RR Patil has resigned. The chief minister is on his way out.
My salutation to the martyr who laid down thier lives fighting the terrorist
Hemant Karkare, Vijay Salasker, Ashok Kamte, Major Unnikrishanan and others
I had covered the three days events with my camera and bring you the documentary of images of Terror attack in Mumbai.
