BLOODY HELL!

80 KILLED IN MUMBAI TERRORISTS SPRAY BULLETS AND FEAR ACROSS CITY 3 TOP COPS KILLED

 MUMBAI, INDIA'S largest city and financial nerve centre, came under a terrorist attack of unprecedented ferocity on Wednesday evening. The city was under siege at the time of going to press. A dozen landmark locations, including the storied Mumbai landmarks like the CST station and the Taj and Oberoi hotels, Napean Sea Road, Bombay Hospital, Metro Cinema — all came under savage assault from terrorists who used grenades and guns. A petrol pump near Gateway Of India too was blown up in a grenade attack.Gun battles between the police and attackers were raging at the time this article was written.At least 80 people were reported killed. Two terrorists were also killed in a gun battle at Girgaum, Chowpatty. Some terrorists were holed up inside city's famous landmarks — the Taj and Oberoi hotels.In fact,the Oberoi lobby was on fire. Many CEOs, including the global CEO of a leading consumer goods manufacturer and some leading bankers, were reportedly inside these hotels. In fact, as many as 15 at the Taj and 40 at the Oberoi were held hostage.
    'Encounter specialist' Vijay Salaskar and ATS chief Hemant Karkare were reportedly killed in the shootouts. Another IPS officer of ACP rank Ashok Kamte is also reported to have been killed. There were no official confirmations of these reports at the time of writing. Late in the night, there were reports that the National Security Guard (NSG) had been deployed.There are also unconfirmed reports that the army might be deployed.The terrorists were looking for people with British and US passports, according to a foreign tourist quoted in a television report.
    Sounds of explosion and firing could be heard from the Times of India building, which is opposite the CST station, late in the evening.The building was sealed off as people ran across the street in panic. Attacks bring back memories of 1993 blasts
    THIS series of attacks has left the city completely shell-shocked, reviving painful memories of the 1993 serial blasts. What really caught the state unawares is the new modus operandi adopted by the terror groups. Instead of the more familiar suicide bomb attacks, the terrorists took over the streets, hotels, hospitals and station, catching everybody by surprise. They fired indiscriminately, killing many in the process.
    The first incident took place at around 10.25 pm when bullets, apparently from automatic weapons, were fired at police and paramilitary forces outside the Taj Hotel in south Mumbai. Around the same time shooting was reported at the Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus police station in which six people were injured.
    Police immediately cordoned off the CST Railway Terminus, a crowded place at this time of the evening, and stopped entry of people. Unidentified gunmen also opened fire with automatic weapons and caused explosions at Cafe Leopold on Colaba Causeway. In all, the firing and explosions at Cafe Leopold and inside CST stations killed two to three persons and injured around 30.
    The attack at CST station was reported to be the most daring with gunmen reportedly carrying the AK-47 opening fire at an extremely busy hour. Train services to CST were immediately suspended. A few minutes later a blast was reported at Santa Cruz station and another at a petrol pump near Gateway of India.
    According to police officials and eyewitness accounts, at least two terrorists were holed up inside the CST station for around two hours.
    The worst hit was hotel Oberoi. A group of terrorists blew up bombs and took position at different locations in this 35-storied hotel. Two persons armed with automatic weapons and hand grenades are reportedly holding up inside the Hotel.
    The Maharashtra government, meanwhile, issued a high alert all across the state. The government has also decided to deploy special forces on all key locations. The state director general of police AN Roy late tonight indicated that a couple of terrorists have been holed up in Oberoi Hotel located at the tony Nariman Point.
    Chief minister Vilasrao Deshmukh has cut short his Kerala visit and is returning to Mumbai. Mr Deshmukh spoke to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh informing him about the situation in the state capital.
    So far, though, no terrorist group has claimed any responsibility, the police suggested an involvement of "major terror" group behind what appears to be "well thought of attacks".

THE ICONIC TAJ HOTEL ON FIRE AFTER A BLAST