TERROR IN MUMBAI: Attacks kill 78

MUMBAI – Gunmen in Mumbai have killed dozens of people after going on a shooting spree through the Indian city overnight.

Their attacks were concentrated on areas and buildings frequented by international visitors, including high profile hotels the Taj and the Oberoi, where the city’s elite likes to meet.

Fifty people were rescued from the Taj Hotel but at least 15 others remained hostage to the terrorists.

Security experts said the attacks at nine locations appeared to be “very well-organised, very sophisticated. Clearly they wanted to create scenes of shock and horror”.

Mumbai residents were warned to stay in doors.

Several terrorists were reported holed up inside both the Oberoi Hotel and Taj Hotels as India’s Rapid Action Force commandos grouped outside. Four gunmen are believed to be dead and nine suspects held.

The attacks occurred at the busiest places. Besides hotels and hospitals, terrorists struck at railway stations, Crawford Market, Wadi Bunder and on the Western Express Highway near the airport.

Security has been increased at Mumbai airport.

Up to 78 people are reported to have been killed and hundreds are injured after the series of shootings and blasts across India’s financial capital. High-ranking police and security officials were among those killed.

Three of the deaths occurred inside the Taj and one G T Hospital attendant died in a shootout inside the hospital. There were reports of people cowering under tables and chairs at both the Taj as well as G T Hospital.

CNN was showing pictures this morning of flames shooting out of the old part of the Taj Hotel where the terrorists were holding heir hostages. The Oberoi’s lobby was on fire, witnesses said.

A group called Deccan Mujahideen was reported to be claiming responsibility for the attacks.

Unconfirmed eyewitness reports said the gunmen were targeting people with British and American passports.

An Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade spokesman said there were no reports of Australians killed but confirmed, “at least two Australians have been injured”.

At least 20 Australians were in the Oberoi Hotel at the time of the attack, all of them members of a trade delegation

An Australian tourist, Isaac Zalme, said he and eight others were holed up in a small restaurant as the city remained in the grip of chaos.

“There’s gunmen on the streets … it’s pretty crazy,” he told Channel Nine.

“There were people driving around in a cop car shooting people. 

”I look out onto the street and all I can see is ambulances and police. 



“We will hang out here (at the restaurant) for as long as possible. It’s a waiting game, we will wait and see what happens.”

Ten locations in Mumbai were targeted by the gunmen.

The city’s chief anti-terrorist police officer was among those killed, local TV stations reported.

Ten people were killed and more than 30 people injured in gunfire at the main Chhatrapati Shivaji railway station.

Mumbai General Railway Police Commissioner A K Sharma was quoted as saying that several men armed with AK-47 rifles had stormed into the passenger hall of the railway station shortly after 10.30pm local time and opened fire and thrown grenades.

As dawn broke over Mumbai, heavily-armed soldiers surrounded both the Taj and Oberoi hotels.