Mumbai under seige

Terror struck the country’s financial capital late tonight as “coordinated” serial explosions (12 of them) & indiscriminate firing rocked areas across Mumbai. City was held on gun point as terrorist fired gun shots on the streets of the city. Which at this point of time seems like complete planned attack. City beared a Gaza strip look with gun being fired from AK-47 and grenade being shot at will. Several police personal and citizen were dead. Foreign nationals, Anti Terrorist Squad officers & Media persons were targeted. The first incident took place between 10.15 pm and 10.30 pm when bullets, apparently from automatic weapons, were fired at police and paramilitary forces outside the Taj Mahal Hotel in south Mumbai. Minutes later, bullets were fired near Hotel Trident - another five-star hotel - barely a kilometre away from the Taj. Trident is in a high security zone and lies just behind Air India and Maharashtra legislature buildings. Unidentified persons also opened random firing near Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus, headquarters of the Central Railway, which is a world heritage building and remains crowded almost throughout the day. According to sources, two men rushed into a local train stationary at CST and fired indiscrimately. The next time he raises the issue of terrorism in Parliament, CPM member N N Krishnadas will be able to speak from his personal experience as he had a providential escape from the gun-toting extremists who barged into the Taj Hotel in Mumbai on Wednesday night.Death was never so near, it was terrible,” the Left MP from Palakkad in Kerala told Deccan Herald from Mumbai over telephone.His colleagues Vikhe Singh Patil from Maharashtra and Lalmani Prasad from UP were still inside the hotel and rescue operations were on when he spoke to media on Thursday evening.
“We reached Mumbai on Wednesday as part of a Parliamentary Committee visit and were allotted rooms in the third floor,” Krishnadas said.“Around 9.40 pm, myself and another MP Bhupinder Singh Solanki were having dinner at the Shamiana Restaurant in the hotel and suddenly two masked men barged in firing indiscriminately,” he said.One foreigner was shot dead on the spot. It was a matter of a few minutes, and before they could figure out anything, the hotel staff escorted them out through an emergency door to the first floor lobby.“When we reached there, we could see about 150 people lying on the floor to save themselves from fire and counter-fire and the whole night we were there in that position,” he said adding that other two MPs were in their rooms at that time.

Around 9.40 pm, myself and another MP Bhupinder Singh Solanki were having dinner at the Shamiana Restaurant in the hotel and suddenly two masked men barged in firing indiscriminately,” he said.One foreigner was shot dead on the spot. It was a matter of a few minutes, and before they could figure out anything, the hotel staff escorted them out through an emergency door to the first floor lobby.“When we reached there, we could see about 150 people lying on the floor to save themselves from fire and counter-fire and the whole night we were there in that position,” he said adding that other two MPs were in their rooms at that time.
Around 9.45 am on Thursday, commandoes evacuated them and escorted them to the Asadnagar Police station, from where they were taken to the Bank of Baroda guest house at Churchgate. Solanki, who also witnessed the 2001 Parliament attack, said the Mumbai attack was deadlier than the one in Delhi.
Target Points:-
The Taj Mahal Palace & Tower,Apollo Bunder, S.Mumbai
Hotel Oberoi/Trident Nariman Point,S.Mumbai
Chatrapati Shivaji Terminus, Railway Station
Police headquarters in S. Mumbai
Metro cinema, S. Mumbai
JJ school of Art, N.A. M. G. Road, Fort, S.Mumbai
Leopold's restaurant, Colaba, Nawroji F Road,S.Mumbai
Blast in a taxi in Vile Parle, N.Mumbai
Western Expressway, S.Mumbai
Cama Hospital, Mahapalika Marg, S.Mumbai
Sequence of events:-
Wednesday, 26/11/2008
Millitants enter city via sea on boat.
Cafe Lehold, Nawroji F Road,Colaba, South Mumbai faces first attack at (09:30 PM IST, Wednesday, 26/11/2008)
Militants open fire at CST,Railway Station & UNESCO World Heritage Site(10:15PM IST)
Gun battle at Metro cinema (10:20 AM IST)
Millitants enter Cama Hospital, (10:30PM IST)
Militants hijack police gypsy and open fire on public at Colaba with AK-47, AK-56 & hand grenades (10:33PM IST)
Hotel Taj was one of the flashpoint, where 17 blasts has been reported so far (10:45 PM IST).
Thursday,27/11/2008
ATS chief Hemant Karkare (IPS) broght dead at JJ Hospital with 3 bullets, after leading operation at Cama hospital (02:20 AM IST, Thursday, 27/11/2008)
ATS officer Ashok Kamte killed at cross fire with millitants at Metro cinema.
Chatrapati Shivaji Terminus, JJ school of Art is under attack
More than 100 people have been killed & 283 have been injured.
5 terrorist have been killed in encounter in Hotel Taj.400 people were rescued from Hotel Taj & 170 from hotel Oberoi.
9 terrorists (alleged) have been captured by ATS (5:30 AM IST)
119 of 125 dead are Indian national rest 6 are foreigners.
Several people are held as hostages in Hotel Taj, Nariman Point & Oberoi(Trident)
Milltary has started several operations with ATS, CRPF, STF, Mumbai Police ( including CST which is now under millitary control).
Navy being called by Home Ministry, central.
NSG (National Security Guards) commandos have been air lifted from New Delhi to Mumbai for anti-terrorists operations (05:00 AM IST, Thursday, 27/11/2008)
NSG reaches Mumbai (07:00 AM IST)
No order from Police commisioner & Home Ministry to start operation.
City under complete control of Military, NSG, STF,ATS,CISF & Mumbai Police.
'Deccan Majahedeen' claims responsibilities of attack via e-mail to news agencies/channels.
Cama Hospital cleared of milittants. Under army control now. (08:30 AM IST)
A couple and old lady dies in 'threat firing' early in morning (08:45 AM IST)
NSG trying to negotiate with millitants but fails. (08:45 AM IST)
NSG commandos (200 of them) with help of STF, ATS,Military (5 columns, 800 in numbers) & Navy starts special operation to gush out millitants now, probably 2 or 3 of them. 6 foreign nationals among 15-20 hostages. (08:50 AM IST)
Few (approx.40) people, all civilians, move out of the hotel as NSG moves in. (09:10AM IST)
Anti-terrorist operations on at 3 places viz. Taj Palace, Hotel Oberoi (also known as Trident) & Nariman Point (09:20AM IST)
An hour after operations began, no clue about the progress as no gun-shots heard in last 30-35 minutes(10:30 AM IST)
NSG asks media not to go into detail of operation on air as millitants might be wtching on TV. Media asked to take cautious approach at immensely tense and vulnerable situation (10:35 PM IST)
Citizens,World & Media wait & watch as NSG and rest do hard job at ground zero.30-35 persons remain hostage, including 2MPs (10:50 AM IST)
DGP AN Roy : " Complicated operation, time factor not known". Terrorists are believed to be asking ransom. Operation continues.....(13:25 HRS IST)
Hotel Taj Palace free of hostages, search on there for any hiding terrorists. Final assault at Taj. Hostage crisisis at hotel Trident/Oberoi & Nariman point. NSG go all out at terrorist at these 3 places. (14:30 HRS IST)
Coast Gaurd & Indian Navy launch massive search operation at Indian coasts looking for escaping millitant's boat (14:45 HRS IST)
Indian coast Guard & Indian Navy get hold of MV Alpha by which terrorists supposedly reached Mumbai (via Gateway of India) from Karachi Port, Pakistan(15:45 HRS IST)
6 Blasts occur in Oberoi in last 15 minutes, gunbattle continues at Trident & Nariman Place. (16:05 HRS IST)
Atleast 200 people are feared stuck in Hotel Oberoi as intense gunbattle continues to rescue citizens of difffrent nations. (17:45HRS IST)
6 fresh blasts at hotel Oberoi/Trident & Nariman house (18:00 HRS IST)
Fire again breaks out at Taj Palace (18:10 HRS IST).
1 alive terrorist of Pakistan national captured from Taj hotel (18:25 HRS IST).
Terrorist kill their own head, who was master mind of this attack, body was recovered by STF in Mumbai (19:00 HRS IST)
Hotel Taj palace is now free of militants, struggle continues at Oberoi though, 2 force personnel killed. (22:00 HRS IST)
26th hrs after it all started, the fight continues as brave hearts continue their fights & Mumbai struggle for euillibrium (23:00 HRS IST)
Friday, 28/11/2008
7 rescued from Hotel Oberoi including 3 foreigners (00:05 HRS IST)
Rescue operations carry on at Hotel Oberoi (00:30HRS IST)
2 NSG commandos injured in operation at Hotel Oberoi (02:30 HRS IST)
Fresh fire break out Hotel Oberoi (03:00 HRS IST)
More person brought out of Taj Palace (05:00 HRS IST)
Army,NSG & STF decides to air drop commandos at Nariman point as it gets difficult to gush them out (05:45 HRS IST)
Operation continues at Oberoi & Nariman place (07:30 HRS IST)
More grenades blasts at Nariman Point (08:30 HRS IST)
Helicopter continue to hover around Nariman Point, as rescue operation continues (09:45 HRS IST)
Operation reaches decisive phase as security forces corner terrorist at Nariman point (10:05 HRS IST)
ATS officers under attack:-
ATS Special squad ACP, Ashok Kamte (IPS), is reported to have died in Operation
ATS encounter specialist ACP Vijay Salaskar (IPS) is also dead as bullet hits his head in cross-fire.
ATS chief Hemant Karkare (IPS) is dead in operation.
3 more senior ATS officers of IPS ranks are fighting for their life in hospitals.
16 police personnel including 4 senior officers (3 of IPS Rank) died in operations. 2 SI, 2 ASI & 6 constables include among police deaths.
STF, NSG, Millitary & ATS trying to crack into hotels. Cross fire still on.
CISF deployed at airport.
Millitary & STF do flag march to restore normalcy in the city
Fire still on at Taj Palace.
Aftermath:-
Emerging hostage situation in Taj Palace, Oberoi hotel and Cama Hospital.
All educational institute & Govt,PVT. office to remain close today.
No trading at BSE & NSE: SEBI
Domestic & international flights cancelled/delayed
Local train run late
England cricket tour of India has been cancelled.
Championship matches shifted out of Mumbai.
Australia rejects to visit India for T-20 cricket championship.