The Hindu Business Line : Mumbai freed

The moment of triumph: The Indian flag flutters outside the Taj Hotel on Saturday after the completion of 60-hour long operation `Operation Cyclone' with terrorists inside eliminated and guests who were holed up, freed. - Shashi Ashiwal

Our Bureau

Mumbai, Nov. 29 The last of the terrorists at the smouldering Taj hotel fell to the bullets of the elite National Security Guards, who gave the thumbs-up to the watching world in the early hours of Saturday, signalling that all was clear.

It had taken two-and-a-half days for 300 commandoes of the NSG and 400 city policemen, to eliminate nine terrorists and to capture one alive at the three different targets — two luxury hotels and one Jewish centre in the city.

The end of this carnage left Mumbai feeling deeply vulnerable, as never before. The number of killed mounted to 162, but bodies were still being recovered from the Taj where mounds of cloth for use as shrouds could be seen taken in. Eighteen of the dead were foreign nationals. The wounded numbered 239, Mr Vilasrao Deshmukh, Chief Minister of Maharahstra, said at a news conference in the city.

Given the quantity of arms and ammunition found at the hotels, the terrorists appeared to have plans to kill more than 5,000 persons, said the State’s Home Minister, Mr R. R. Patil. Two large bombs weighing over 8 kg each had been found in the vicinity of the Taj. Thirty two persons lost their lives in the attack on Trident-Oberoi; they included four guests, (three of them foreigners), 18 visitors who were dining at their various restaurants at the time of the attack, and 10 employees. In the Taj attack, where the bodies were still being removed, at least 70 were left dead.

Tata surveys Taj

The Chairman of the Taj group of hotels, Mr Ratan Tata, could be seen sitting on a pile of stones by the road opposite his hotel in the company of his top officials as the commandos wrested control of the hotel. They were waiting to survey what was only a few days ago their magnificent flagship property, but now a charnel house. They entered the Taj some time after it was declared sanitised.

The fine stained glass at the windows of the building (which was constructed to show the British that Indians could build as fine a hotel as they), was lying in heaps of shining shards on the road below. One could peep into charred designer shops, meeting rooms and restaurants on the ground floor of the hotel. Curious bystanders swarmed around the Taj to take in the sights.

Everywhere was anger and sorrow, and any kind of positive feeling was reserved for the NSG only. At the Taj, the watching public showered the commandos with petals and got their little children photographed with them.

Changes inevitable

Hospitality as one knows it in Mumbai would undergo a change, said Mr S. S. Mukherji, Vice-Chairman of the Oberoi group that owns the Trident-Oberoi. Security advisors would be appointed, more cameras installed and guests’ luggage screened, he said.

“All establishments will have to increase security measures, making it more expensive, more irritating, more time- consuming for people, but there is no alternative,” said Mr-. Deepak Parekh, Chairman of Housing Development Finance Corporation. One still cannot prevent these things even if everything is done, he added: “The crux is intelligence.”

“We are all responsible for this,” said an enraged Mr Anil Singhvi, Vice-Chairman at Reliance Natural Resources Ltd. He said people in both industry and politics had an attitude of “convenience” and lamented the lack of leadership in both arenas. “We may have a lot of successful people, but they are not leaders,” he said.

3 attacks in 5 years

Mr Frederic Amoudru, CEO and country manager at BNP Paribas, has seen three terrorist attacks in his five years in the city. “I must say the security forces did a fantastic job. But the intelligence has failed.”

Mumbai-ites will probably fall back on simple pleasures this week-end – no fine dining, no visiting malls, theatres or other public places, noted a social worker.

The Maharashtra government has decided to have its own commando force, on the lines of the National Security Guards, said Mr Deshmukh.

Related Stories:
Trident Oberoi secured
Mumbai terror: Day 2

More Stories on : Terrorism | Security | Maharashtra | Hotels

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