Mumbai Burns Under Terror

Following are some excerpts from the Prime Minister, Dr. Manmohan Singh’s address to the Nation.

”The dastardly terror attacks that took place in Mumbai last night and today leading to the loss of many precious lives and injuries to many others have deeply shocked the nation. I strongly condemn these acts of senseless violence against innocent people, including guests from foreign countries. I offer my deepest condolences to the bereaved families and sympathies to those injured. The Government will take all necessary measures to look after the wellbeing of the affected families, including medical treatment of injured.

The well-planned and well-orchestrated attacks, probably with external linkages, were intended to create a sense of panic, by choosing high profile targets and indiscriminately killing foreigners.

I salute the courage and patriotism of the police officers, including the Chief of the Anti-Terror Squad, Shri Hemant Karkare and men who have laid down their lives in fighting these terrorists. I assure the country that we will attend in an urgent and serious manner to police reform so that the law and order authorities can work unitedly, effectively and in a determined manner to tackle such threats to national integrity.

We are not prepared to countenance a situation in which the safety and security of our citizens can be violated with impunity by terrorists.

We will take the strongest possible measures to ensure that there is no repetition of such terrorist acts. We are determined to take whatever measures are necessary to ensure the safety and security of our citizens.

We will take up strongly with our neighbors that the use of their territory for launching attacks on us will not be tolerated, and that there would be a cost if suitable measures are not taken by them. We will take a number of measures to strengthen the hands of our police and intelligence authorities. We will curb the flow of funds to suspect organizations. We will restrict the entry of suspects into the country. We will go after these individuals and organizations and make sure that every perpetrator, organizer and supporter of terror, whatever his affiliation or religion may be, pays a heavy price for these cowardly and horrific acts against our people.

In this hour of tragedy, I appeal to the people to maintain peace and harmony so that the enemies of our country do not succeed in their nefarious designs. All concerned authorities are on alert and will deal sternly with any attempts to disturb public order.
I am confident that the people of India will rise unitedly to face this grave challenge to the nation’s security and integrity.”

I just wish to ask how do our ‘dear’ ministers who sit themselves comfortably with ‘Z’ level security; plan to combat such terrorist acts and ensure security and safety of its citizens. I used this ‘address’ by the PM as a beginning, because I don’t know why but all the time anyone, in any occasion goes to address the nation, it sounds so high on words and so low on emotions.

World hasn’t slept for last 24 hours as Mumbai is engulfed in the worst ever night-marish situation seen in the country.

I, a resident of Delhi, myself have been following this story through various national and regional (Delhi-based) media like Radio, News channels, websites, etc. and I still feel the shock of the situation. I don’t want to say I can sympathize, because I don’t want to decrease or demean the emotions of people who are facing this experience first hand. But yes I can say I feel a sense of empathy, every time I watch the coverage. This is no other world experience, this time it has inflicted us right in heart and what’s more that its not a “come-destroy-leave” situation this time around. This time they wound is still bleeding as the weapon of destruction is still present there in Mumbai.

We all know that life in Mumbai has come to a stand still. Our country has been besieged once again by terrorists and not just that ‘they’ are still here….in one of our own State…in homes of our national brethren.

Civilian casualties have reached more than 130, with around 800-900 being injured. At the time of submitting this article, Mumbai was still burning (literally and metaphorically) under terror & end seemed still near the sight.

People of Mumbai are no longer satisfied with clichés on their ‘stoic spirit’ and ‘resilience’ (as I noticed in the variety of celeb and general public interviews taken by news channels throughout the day). They want answers. They want to know why it happens to them.

As Shobha De, eminent writer, remarked in an interview, “we pay millions of rupees for security of our ministers and providing them Z security but where are they….” She also remarked that all our prominent ministers could do were give ‘slow’ and ‘lackluster’ speeches.

Noticeably though in time of adversity is the heroic stories of our brave security officers (Police, NSG, ATS, Millitary, Navy, etc) who are all working together and trying to free Mumbai from its nightmare. More than 15 officials have been reported dead so far, including the three most prominent Hemant Karkare, Vijay Salaskar and Ashok Kamte. Heroism also is shown by the staff members of both Taj Mahal and Oberoi. Many of them have given up their lives even while trying to get their hotel guests out of harms way.

Terrorist have turned the iconic architectural marvel, Taj Mahal hotel, into a warzone. It’s a place with which almost every Mumbaikar and tourist has a story attached to. Now the place is being shattered piece by piece with gun shots, grenades and raging fire.

Our hearts, minds, prayers and empathy goes to Mumbai and its people. Mumbai was still burning under terror & end seemed still near the sight.

Hemant Karkare: A Hero Dies

The last television visuals of the 54-year-old officer showed him in a light blue shirt and dark trousers surrounded by uniformed policemen armed with firearms and walkie-talkies. He wore a helmet, talked on his cellphone and finally put on a bullet-proof jacket before he met his deathly fate in the country's biggest terror seize.

Maharashtra Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) chief Hemant Karkare, suffered three bullet injuries in his chest, as he was leading the offensive against the terrorists at Mumbai's Taj Hotel against terrorists on Wednesday.

Mr. Karkare, who was the 1982 batch Indian Police Service (IPS) officer, held a Bachelor of Engineering degree from Vishveshvarayya Regional Engineering in Nagpur. He also served in the Naxalite-infested Chandarpur area of the state. He became the head of ATS in January this year following his return to the state cadre after serving seven years in Research and Analysis Wing (RAW) in Austria.

One of the brightest officers, Karkare had solved the serial bomb blasts in Thane, Vashi and Panvel and was also credited for the stunning revelations in the investigation of the September 29 blast in Malegaon.

As ATS Chief he was also involved in the Malegaon blast probe which was subject to a lot of criticism by many Hindu organizations.

During the Malegaon investigation, Karkare had told his officers not to create false evidence, saying, "We should do our job and it is for the court to decide." Incidentally, the Pune ATS on November 26 reportedly received phone calls threatening to blow up the residence of Karkare "within a couple of days".

In his last interview to a television channel on Wednesday, he referred to getting the custody of Malegaon blast accused Sadhvi Pragya Singh Thakur, and said "police custody would have helped investigations to proceed faster but still we will see how best to deal with it in a legal way".

When asked about criticism levelled by BJP leaders especially, L K Advani's outbursts against the agency, Karkare said "when allegations are made anyone (we) will feel hurt." He rejected charges of the Sadhvi being tortured during police custody.

As he now rests in peace, people come out in streets in Pune, where he is being cremated on Thursday afternoon, to offer their reverence to a courageous officer. He was known for his discipline and fair investigation. He was well respected in Police as well as Media circuits. His brave act of fighting the terrorists ended in tragedy. This incident seems to be a great amount of loss for Maharashtra and Indian Police forces; he will always be remembered for his brave and courageous acts of both his investigations as well as his active role in offensive attacks against terrorism.

(Inputs from PTI).

Mumbai rocked with terror

Mumbai was rocked by several incidents of firing at four different public places on Wednesday night. All incidents were within a radius of three kms in the posh South Mumbai.
At the time of the filing this report, 3 people were dead and more than 25 were injured.
Details are sketchy but it is believed that groups fired outside the Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus (CST) Railway Terminus, Hotel Oberoi, the popular Café Leopold restaurant and Cama Hospital all in south Mumbai.
No one including the police will confirm the reason behind the firing except the fact that some unknown people started firing indiscriminately.
Eyewitness also said that some grenades were thrown at a police van and also of two bomb blasts near the Oberoi hotel but it was not confirmed by officials.
The Mumbai police have cordoned off all the areas. A blast was also reported in Vile Parle in suburban Mumbai. Eyewitnesses said that they heard at least 20 shots in CST station. Policemen and ambulances have rushed to the affected areas, they said.
A resident of Colaba and an eyewitness to some of the incidents said, "The police got news that there were explosions at the BMC headquarters in Lion Gate in South Mumbai. When the police arrived, the gangsters/terrorists fired at the police. As the police started chasing them towards the CST station, they opened indiscriminate fire."
In reports by given by news channels it has been stated that, two persons armed with automatic weapons and hand grenades are reportedly holding up inside CST stations. Sounds of gunshots are still being heard. Hundreds of onlookers gathered outside the station. The station and premises has been evacuated. It has also been reported that the five-star Hotel Oberoi is under siege and gunmen are reported to have held the occupants hostage.
It seems to be a new modus operandi has been adopted by the strikers to rock the city and its law and order in a new way. Struggles of mumbaikars, for peace and security seem to be far from over. After a phase of month’s long internal political crisis it is now terrorism that takes them again into a bad nightmare.