At least 101 people have been killed in the attacks by gunmen in Mumbai Wednesday night, police said on Thursday.
"At least six foreigners have been killed and the death figure has gone up to 101 now," Ramesh Tayde, a senior police officer, said from Mumbai's control room.
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Smoke is seen coming from Taj Hotel in Mumbai November 27, 2008. [Xinhua/Reuters Photo]
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A terrorist is seen in the series of planned and synchronized gunfire and bomb attacks in Mumbai, the heart of India's financial capital, November 27, 2008. [Xinhua Photo]
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In one of the most violent terror attacks on Indian soil, Mumbai came under an unprecedented night attack as militants used heavy machine guns, including AK-47s, and grenades to strike at the city's most high-profile targets, killing at least 101 and injuring hundreds of others, according to latest reports.
The places under attack include the hyper-busy CST rail terminus, the landmark Taj Hotel at the Gateway and the luxury Oberoi Trident at Nariman Point, the domestic airport at Santa Cruz, the Cama and GT hospitals near CST, the Metro Adlabs multiplex and Mazgaon Dockyard.
The attacks have taken a tragic toll on the city's top police brass: The high-profile chief of the anti-terror squad Hemant Karkare was killed, Mumbai's additional commissioner of police ( east) Ashok Kamte was gunned down outside the Metro, and celebrated encounter specialist Vijay Salaskar was also killed.
The attacks appeared to be aimed at getting international attention as the attackers took up to 40 British nationals and other foreign hostages. The chairman of Hindustan Unilever Harish Manwani and CEO of the company Nitin Paranjpe were among the guests trapped at the Oberoi. All the internal board members of the multinational giant were reported to be holed up in the Oberoi hotel.
Two attackers were reported holed up inside the Oberoi Hotel. Fresh firing has been reported at Oberoi and the Army has entered the hotel to flush out the militants.
An unknown outfit, Deccan Mujahideen, has sent an email to news organizations claiming that it carried out the Mumbai attacks.
The Army and Navy in Mumbai were put on alert. Some 65 Army commandos and 200 NSG commandos were being rushed to Mumbai, said Indian Home Minister Shivraj Patil.
The Navy commandos too have been asked to assist the police. Special secretary M L Kumawat is in constant touch with the state police.
Some media reports attributed the attack to Lashkar-e-Taiba, one of the largest militant organizations in South Asia. There were also unconfirmed reports that some of the attackers came in by sea. A boat laden with explosives was recovered later at night off the Gateway of India.
