India News

Mumbai was rocked by several incidents of firing at four different public places on Wednesday night, and ten people were reportedly killed in the suspected terror attacks. All incidents were within a radius of three kms in the posh South Mumbai.

The first incident of firing was reported at Leopold Cafe, a well-known watering hole for tourists and foreigners in Colaba.

The second incident was near Taj Mahal [Images] hotel, the third was near Oberoi hotel in Nariman Point and the fourth one was at Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus railway station. Two of them are Mumbai’s iconic and best-known five-star hotels and the third is one of the busiest railway stations in the city.

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 a cab in Vile Parle in suburban Mumbai. This is near the Mumbai airport.

Additional Commissioner of Police Deven Bharti confirmed the shootout at Colaba but did not give out details.

Two persons armed with automatic weapons and hand grenades are reportedly holed up inside CST station.

Sounds of gunshots are still being heard. Hundreds of onlookers gathered outside the station. The station and premises have been evacuated

Sources in the Cuffe Parade police station said that the police was still looking for the miscreants behind the firing at Colaba Causeway.

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.”

Two terrorists are holed up in Mumbai’s Oberoi hotel and Mumbai police have cordoned off the area.

These terrorists reportedly fired indiscriminately in and around South Mumbai and then took refuge in Oberoi Hotel.

No details are available about the terror outfit responsible for the firings.

The hotel guests have been asked to stay in their rooms and the policemen are expected to enter the hotel and nab the terrorists.

Maharashtra Director General of Police A N Roy said that this was a suspected terror attack. “The terrorists have been surrounded in Oberoi Hotel. Right now, the encounter is going on,” he said.

He said that terrorists used hand grenades and also automatic rifles in some places.

When rediff called up Hemant Oberoi , chief chef of Taj Hotels, all he could say was, “Right now we are in the middle of operation.”

Two hand grenades, aimed at policemen, were also thrown from Taj Mahal hotel. The police have evacuated many hotel guests.

Some dead bodies were taken out from the hotel and it is not clear how many terrorists are holed up inside the hotel.

A live bomb was found at the hotel, and the bomb squad is trying to defuse it.

According to Ashok Sharma, Commssioner of police, Railways, “The incident of firing and bomb blast have happened at CST in Mumbai.’

He told rediff.com, “Between Platform number two and Platform no. 8, these terrorists are creating havoc.”

He said the encounter at CST station was going on. The terrorists were wearing black dresses and they had weapons similar to AK-47, according to Sharma.

Explosions were reported from various places in Mumbai including Colaba market, Wadi bunder and Napean Sea Road.