Army ends 24-hr Taj nightmare, 30 killed
Hostages kept on streaming out of Taj Mahal Palace on Thursday evening amid indications that the Army had succeeded in ending the reign of terror there.
By TNN |
MUMBAI: Hostages kept on streaming out of Taj Mahal Palace on Thursday evening amid indications that the Army had succeeded in ending the reign of terror there.
More than 30 guests, however, died in the 24-hour siege on one of Mumbai's most iconic hotels.
They included Taj Hotels general manager Karambir Kang's wife Neeti, 14-year-old son Uday and five-year-old daughter Samar and seven foreign nationals.
There was no official confirmation but reports said a Greek national, a Japanese national and two American intelligence officials were among those killed.
Officials confirmed that two of the terrorists had been gunned down and indicated that the others were either thinking of giving up the fight or had also died.
Several army and National Security Guard personnel were injured in the operation .
Officials said members of the elite National Security Guards team managed to enter the old wing of the hotel, where the terrorists were holed up, around 8.30 pm on Thursday.
The terrorists threw a hand grenade on a fire engine parked outside the Taj but the NSG team entered the old wing after firemen doused the flames.
A room-by-room search was undertaken and gunshots were heard from the second and third floors.
More than an hour later, two of the unidentified terrorists' bodies were carried out.
Speaking to mediapersons earlier on Thursday, Major General R K Hooda said: '' We have cordoned off the entire area. The NSG has been trying to enter the building for some time.''
The terrorists had entered the hotel around 9.30 pm on Wednesday and started firing indiscriminately . A foreign tourist, staying in the hotel, told the police after she was rescued that she had seen them approach the shore in a boat. ''
After entering the hotel, the terrorists first threw a hand grenade near the swiming pool in the new wing and then headed towards the old building through the connecting corridor,'' an official said.
FIVE-STAR BATTLEGROUND
1 THE LANDING
A foreigner staying at the hotel says she saw the first boats approaching the Gateway of India shore a little before 9.30 pm on Wednesday.
2 THE FIRST SHOTS
The first gunshots are heard a little after 9.30 pm; the terror operatives hurl hand grenades near the swimming pool as well to spread panic and then enter the old wing.
3 COPS ARRIVE
An eight-member team arrives at the hotel from Colaba police station. They are armed only with pistols and are confronted with terrorists coming down from the fifth floor.
4 THE FIRST CONFRONTATION
The first confrontation between cops and terrorists happens on the second floor. Terrorists win this round; they throw a grenade, forcing the eight cops to divide themselves into two teams, and then open fire. One constable is still missing since this encounter.
5 THE FIRST HOSTAGES
Terrorists resort to random firing across floors and start taking hostages. Police reinforcements arrive.
More than 30 guests, however, died in the 24-hour siege on one of Mumbai's most iconic hotels.
They included Taj Hotels general manager Karambir Kang's wife Neeti, 14-year-old son Uday and five-year-old daughter Samar and seven foreign nationals.
There was no official confirmation but reports said a Greek national, a Japanese national and two American intelligence officials were among those killed.
Officials confirmed that two of the terrorists had been gunned down and indicated that the others were either thinking of giving up the fight or had also died.
Several army and National Security Guard personnel were injured in the operation .
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Officials said members of the elite National Security Guards team managed to enter the old wing of the hotel, where the terrorists were holed up, around 8.30 pm on Thursday.
The terrorists threw a hand grenade on a fire engine parked outside the Taj but the NSG team entered the old wing after firemen doused the flames.
A room-by-room search was undertaken and gunshots were heard from the second and third floors.
More than an hour later, two of the unidentified terrorists' bodies were carried out.
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Speaking to mediapersons earlier on Thursday, Major General R K Hooda said: '' We have cordoned off the entire area. The NSG has been trying to enter the building for some time.''
The terrorists had entered the hotel around 9.30 pm on Wednesday and started firing indiscriminately . A foreign tourist, staying in the hotel, told the police after she was rescued that she had seen them approach the shore in a boat. ''
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After entering the hotel, the terrorists first threw a hand grenade near the swiming pool in the new wing and then headed towards the old building through the connecting corridor,'' an official said.
FIVE-STAR BATTLEGROUND
1 THE LANDING
A foreigner staying at the hotel says she saw the first boats approaching the Gateway of India shore a little before 9.30 pm on Wednesday.
2 THE FIRST SHOTS
The first gunshots are heard a little after 9.30 pm; the terror operatives hurl hand grenades near the swimming pool as well to spread panic and then enter the old wing.
3 COPS ARRIVE
An eight-member team arrives at the hotel from Colaba police station. They are armed only with pistols and are confronted with terrorists coming down from the fifth floor.
4 THE FIRST CONFRONTATION
The first confrontation between cops and terrorists happens on the second floor. Terrorists win this round; they throw a grenade, forcing the eight cops to divide themselves into two teams, and then open fire. One constable is still missing since this encounter.
5 THE FIRST HOSTAGES
Terrorists resort to random firing across floors and start taking hostages. Police reinforcements arrive.
6 SERIES OF ENCOUNTERS
Terrorists again confront cops on the ground-floor corridor and then take the staircase. They re-enter the old wing around midnight.
7 THE DOME IS ATTACKED
A grenade is lobbed at the dome atop the old wing around 2.30 am; a fire breaks out, prompting firemen to try and douse it from outside.
8 THE FIRST RESCUE
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The first hostage is rescued from the new wing around 2.45 am. Around 60 people, including Korean nationals, are rescued till 4.30 am; by 5 am, 30 more tourists are brought out to safety.9 A STEP BACK
Terrorists, unnerved by the seamless rescue operations, lob a grenade on the lobby connecting the new and old wings of the hotel. Cops are forced to stop rescue operations.
10 HOPE RISES
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The rescue operation restarts around 7 am, moving floor by floor in the new wing; 100 more tourists come out.
11 BATTLE RAGES ON
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An encounter starts in the old building. Terrorists lob another grenade on the lobby around 11 am and a second grenade at the dome of the old building around 12.50 in the afternoon. Another grenade is lobbed on the sixth floor, sparking a fire there; this fire, however, is doused quickly. Eight foreigners are rescued from the new building around 2.30 pm but four rapid bursts of gunfire a little later spreads more panic. Grenades are lobbed inside the old wing at half-hour intervals.
12 A FAMILY IS NO MORE
A general manager's family ��� wife and three kids ��� is charred to death on the sixth floor around 5.30 pm.
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