CM lauds counter-attack by forces

MUMBAI: The death toll in India���s worst-ever terror attack could far exceed the official figures of 101. The Maharashtra government confirmed that the numbers did not include the deaths inside Taj and Oberoi hotels in explosions and firing by terrorists. Chief minister Vilasrao Deshmukh, however, said security forces have rescued 450 people from the two hotels.

Addressing a press conference on Thursday, Mr Deshmukh, whose current tenure has witnessed a second dastardly terror attack after the July 11, 2006 serial blasts, said the terrorists struck at 13 places in the island city including two five-star hotels.

The attacks left 288 people injured, of whom six are critical. Mr Deshmukh claimed the brave counter-attack launched by security forces brought the city back to normalcy within 12 hours. ���We have called six army columns and 200 NSG commandos, in addition to the state police and ATS,��� the chief minister said.

The death toll includes 14 police personnel, most prominent being ATS chief Hemant Karkare, additional commissioner of police Ashok Kamte and senior police inspector Vijay Salaskar. Deputy chief minister R R Patil, who holds the home portfolio, said the attacks left 12 more police personnel injured.

The counter-terror operations, spearheaded by elite National Security Guards (NSG), led to the killing of 8 terrorists, arrest of one and 9 suspects. Mr Patil said there were 20-25 terrorists. The home minister, however, refused to reveal the nationality of killed and arrested terrorists.

Mr Deshmukh said the counter-attack and rescue operations have been taken over by the NSG and are likely to end by late Thursday night or in the wee hours of Friday. ���We are not aware of the exact details of the NSG operations. But we are told that the counter-attack is at an advanced stage,��� Mr Deshmukh said.

Asked if the terrorists holed up inside Hotel Taj and Hotel Oberoi put forth any demands to free the hostages, Mr Deshmukh replied in the negative. ���If there was a hostage crisis, demands would have been made,��� Mr Deshmukh pointed o