India under attack
By Stephen Foxwell and Sumit Sharma
Nov. 27 (Bloomberg) -- Grenade and gun attacks erupted today across Mumbai, India’s financial capital, killing 60 and injuring at least 200, the Press Trust of India said. Shots were reported near luxury hotels and one of the city’s main rail stations.
The Times of India newspaper, quoting unidentified hospital sources, said the death toll could reach 80, with 250 hurt. Press Trust of India said there were 60 dead and 200 injured at St George’s Hospital in south Mumbai. No one has yet claimed responsibility for the attacks.
Police ringed the Taj Mahal Palace & Tower, Trident and Oberoi hotels and the Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus in the south of the city, NDTV reported.
“Some terrorist incidents are happening, some grenades were lobbed,” A.N. Roy, director general of police for Maharashtra state, said in a telephone interview. “Give us some time to get a clearer picture.”
Police said the two attackers at the Oberoi had escaped, Times TV reported. Two suspected terrorists were subsequently killed when driving away from the direction of the Oberoi, Times TV reported. There was no one other than the two in the car, Times TV said. It wasn’t clear whether any guests remained inside the hotel, Times TV said. Police didn’t say whether the two men were the terrorists who attacked the Oberoi, it reported.
Times TV also reported a blast at the rooftop of the Taj hotel, located near the Gateway of India in the Colaba area.
Railway Terminus
Shootings also took place at the Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus, formerly known as Victoria Terminus, CNN-IBN television said. There were reports of explosions and continued firing, the channel said. Shootings also took pace outside Café Leopold and at the Taj Mahal hotel, both in the Colaba tourist area of south Mumbai, CNN-IBN reported.
“We are all fine and safe within the hotel,” said a Taj employee who answered the telephone at the hotel. “I can’t say anything more since we are still collecting information, and are all busy.”
Multiple attacks have rocked India’s cities this year with bombs planted in markets, theaters and near mosques. While previous attacks have been blamed on foreign terrorists, police arrested members of the Indian Mujahadeen after a shootout in Delhi in September.
Broken Windows
The two attackers at the Trident had entered one of the hotel restaurants and said they were looking for U.S. and British nationals, the channel said. They had taken about 15 people hostage, an eyewitness told Times TV.
There was an explosion near a junction in Vile Parle, near the airport, Times TV said. The remains of a taxicab were strewn at the blast site, television pictures showed. Another explosion was reported at Mazgaon dockyard road in a taxi, PTI said.
The government has previously blamed terrorist attacks on organizations linked to foreign powers, without offering evidence or making arrests. Local media often blame the attacks on groups backed by Pakistan or Bangladesh, without identifying the security officials who provided the information.
Delhi Blasts
The capital New Delhi was rocked by five blasts during an evening rush hour in September, killing as many as 26 people and injuring about 133. Police defused two bombs in the Connaught Place area and one near India Gate. Indian Mujahadeen, which claimed responsibility for similar attacks in Ahmedabad and Jaipur, said it was behind the blasts.
Police killed two suspected terrorists Sept. 19 in a gun battle in the Jamia Nagar area and arrested five people in connection with the blasts. Three of the arrested men belong to Indian Mujahadeen, police said.
Sixteen bombs exploded in Ahmedabad within 20 minutes late on July 26, a day after seven bombs tore through India’s technology hub of Bangalore, killing two. At least 20 devices hidden in cars and garbage cans were discovered and defused in the Gujarat city of Surat, days after the Ahmedabad blasts.
Nov. 27 (Bloomberg) -- Grenade and gun attacks erupted today across Mumbai, India’s financial capital, killing 60 and injuring at least 200, the Press Trust of India said. Shots were reported near luxury hotels and one of the city’s main rail stations.
The Times of India newspaper, quoting unidentified hospital sources, said the death toll could reach 80, with 250 hurt. Press Trust of India said there were 60 dead and 200 injured at St George’s Hospital in south Mumbai. No one has yet claimed responsibility for the attacks.
Police ringed the Taj Mahal Palace & Tower, Trident and Oberoi hotels and the Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus in the south of the city, NDTV reported.
“Some terrorist incidents are happening, some grenades were lobbed,” A.N. Roy, director general of police for Maharashtra state, said in a telephone interview. “Give us some time to get a clearer picture.”
Police said the two attackers at the Oberoi had escaped, Times TV reported. Two suspected terrorists were subsequently killed when driving away from the direction of the Oberoi, Times TV reported. There was no one other than the two in the car, Times TV said. It wasn’t clear whether any guests remained inside the hotel, Times TV said. Police didn’t say whether the two men were the terrorists who attacked the Oberoi, it reported.
Times TV also reported a blast at the rooftop of the Taj hotel, located near the Gateway of India in the Colaba area.
Railway Terminus
Shootings also took place at the Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus, formerly known as Victoria Terminus, CNN-IBN television said. There were reports of explosions and continued firing, the channel said. Shootings also took pace outside Café Leopold and at the Taj Mahal hotel, both in the Colaba tourist area of south Mumbai, CNN-IBN reported.
“We are all fine and safe within the hotel,” said a Taj employee who answered the telephone at the hotel. “I can’t say anything more since we are still collecting information, and are all busy.”
Multiple attacks have rocked India’s cities this year with bombs planted in markets, theaters and near mosques. While previous attacks have been blamed on foreign terrorists, police arrested members of the Indian Mujahadeen after a shootout in Delhi in September.
Broken Windows
The two attackers at the Trident had entered one of the hotel restaurants and said they were looking for U.S. and British nationals, the channel said. They had taken about 15 people hostage, an eyewitness told Times TV.
There was an explosion near a junction in Vile Parle, near the airport, Times TV said. The remains of a taxicab were strewn at the blast site, television pictures showed. Another explosion was reported at Mazgaon dockyard road in a taxi, PTI said.
The government has previously blamed terrorist attacks on organizations linked to foreign powers, without offering evidence or making arrests. Local media often blame the attacks on groups backed by Pakistan or Bangladesh, without identifying the security officials who provided the information.
Delhi Blasts
The capital New Delhi was rocked by five blasts during an evening rush hour in September, killing as many as 26 people and injuring about 133. Police defused two bombs in the Connaught Place area and one near India Gate. Indian Mujahadeen, which claimed responsibility for similar attacks in Ahmedabad and Jaipur, said it was behind the blasts.
Police killed two suspected terrorists Sept. 19 in a gun battle in the Jamia Nagar area and arrested five people in connection with the blasts. Three of the arrested men belong to Indian Mujahadeen, police said.
Sixteen bombs exploded in Ahmedabad within 20 minutes late on July 26, a day after seven bombs tore through India’s technology hub of Bangalore, killing two. At least 20 devices hidden in cars and garbage cans were discovered and defused in the Gujarat city of Surat, days after the Ahmedabad blasts.
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