India: Blasts, Gunfire and Terror in Mumbai
In a series of blasts and shoot outs, the city of Mumbai appears to have come under attack. According to the news, there appear to be at least seven different locations in the city that have been attacked. In an unprecedented sort of terror, a combination of gun fire, blasts, grenade blasts have been used to attack cinema halls, hotels, hospitals, and other public places. A mainsteam media report states
At least four people are reported to have been killed and 15 are injured as unidentified groups of gunmen opened fire in at least four places across south Mumbai on Wednesday night.
In a one line post, a view on markets and life evokes the confusion and shock of the event.
Sirens outside my window. Please make it a safe night.
On Twitter, several people are tweeting from Mumbai, and there appears to be very little information available. There is some amount of speculation if this is indeed a terror attack. Mumbai used to witness gang wars, but these haven't been heard of in a decade. 
An online community for engineers posts the events as they happen
10 minutes before (10:45 PM IST) there is an Open Firing and Explosion reported in South Mumbai. Till now there is no Casualities reported. Atleast 15 Injured and 1 policeman injured. AK47 used in Firing .
So far 5 Confirmed Incidents reported in Shooting. 3 Confirmed Dead !
Firing reported in CST (Chatrapati Shivaji Terminal), Taj Hotel, Colaba Causeway and VT Station. Reports Confirmed its a Terror Attack. In VT Station atleast 15 people Feared Injured.
A post at Retributions reminds us that the threat of terror is very real in India. A post at Staccato articulates a similar thought – of the mindless terror attacks that have repeatedly struck various cities in India.
Bomb blasts in Bombay as we speak.
Phones jammed. Can't reach my family.
I've gone through this before.
Not panicking.
Another post echoes the fear and helplessness.
it is extremely scary to watch all this on the news.
i'm immoderately shaking in fear right now. i never get so shaken up by news. it's the distance that's doing this. if i was in bombay i might not have been watching the news so carefully.
People in the city blog the sheer shock. The attacks have come at a late hour, and after the office rush hour. Himadri writes
There was this friend of his who had just returned from Colaba. A firing had just occurred near Bade Miyan where he was eating. And as we were discussing and dialling random numbers on the cellphone, we heard three explosions within seconds or minutes of each other. The ground shook. This was not just another night.
We switched on the television. And the firing still goes on outside, in batches of 4-5 rounds. As I am writing this, there are sirens of vehicles, police vehicles echoing in my ear. There are 6 people in my living room now, watching the news. Two of them were sitting at Leopold, where there was a shootout earlier. One is a broker, and another one his friend. I am here, my roommate is here. Aunty is in her room, Babloo is cursing everyone to disturb his sleep. And We are together. Only unity can fight this.
Even as this post is being written, there are reports of more attacks and encounters in the city.
49 comments
DO THESE RASCALS FIND MY INDIA ONLY ,MOREOVER “AAMCHI MUMBAI”ITSELF?WHY INDIA,GOD?
TODAY’S WORLD IS FULL OF TERRORRISM’
BUT WHY IS NOT THE SO WITH THE PRISON?
I KNOW THE PEOPLE ARE WORKING
HARDER&HARDER
BUT THE ATTACKS ARE GROWING
LARGER & LARGER!!!!!!!!
I AM A SCHOOLGIRL
I CAN ONLY WORRY
FOR THIS CONDITION OF MUMBAI
I REALLY FEEL SORRY!!!!!!!!!!!
It’s a sad day for India and a very sad for my city Mumbai. What has been equally saddening while watching live NDTV, IBN and other international TV channels, there was not even a single official statement or word from any higher official about what was going on and what was the scale of the destruction or the number of casualties. The VD Deshmukh government and his idiotic deputy chief minister and home minister have failed very badly. There is no proper command and control structure in place and nobody knows for sure who is doing what with different actors pressed in but nobody knowing who is in charge. Is it the Army, or the NSG commandoes or the ineffective Mumbai police, running the rescue efforts?
The NDTV for its part has been getting hold of some big police officers here and there and some officials for their statement but again they are given only to one TV channel and moreoever it is not the official version.
When will the country grow up and understand that information is the key and it should be disseminated effectively and appropriately.
My heart goes out to my city and the victims and their families who have suffered in this big tragedy.
It is so sad that the terrorists have done their perfect planning to execute this operation but the Indian intelligence and the security apparatuses have failed miserably in scotching this disaster unfolding right before our eyes minute by minute, and continues even 24 hours later.
What a time for India….
Sorry to see so many people blaming police, govt., forces, etc which are already doing many good things. Instead of crit, why not do something effective and useful? Why always blame someone else? These people are risking lives and doing their best. Yes, it can be improved but do appreciate what has been done. Think of the many explosions they have averted and the many times they have fought against terrorism, etc.
Dear Doug and other friends,
I got a similar personal e-mail reply for my mail from one of my most respected friends, who is a world-renowned artist.
He writes, “Gaurav, with all due respect to you and your noble convictions, this letter is completely inappropriate. There is a time and a place for everything….this is a HUMAN tragedy, and no time to divert attention to other matters, however urgent. I was extremely upset to read your ill-timed rant.”
To all my friends, known or unknown, and all people who believe in PEACE and HUMANITY, here is my reply:
“With a high level of respect, I would like to assert that this mail was neither meant to divert the attention of people from this calamity nor convey otherwise. I just wanted to assert that such kind of things will go on as long as HUMANS are selfish for just their own selfish causes and no empathy and affection for other equally beautiful lives around. Can we expect love, compassion, and peace from people who don’t mind killing other lives who have got the same right to live as you and I do? Can we expect that if people only love HUMANS, then HUMANITY will prevail…how then we are different from so called ANIMALS?
I feel that this is the right time to retrospect, why such things, such terrible tragedies are happening around the world, inflicted not by the nature, but by the so called HUMANS themselves.
I am equally shocked and troubled as any other person on this earth…and I know that it could be me, my wife, or my only kid who is a 10 month old infant, who could be one of the victims of this tragedy!
I did not write this message for any charitable cause or any other reason, but with a simple intention to convey that, we HUMANS can not remain at PEACE if we teach our children to care for humans but inflict pain on ANIMALS, simply because they do not belong to humans.
If you and me, and the world want peace on this earth, we will have to teach our children, our families, our parents, our friends, our students…that LOVING means LOVING respecting all LIVES on this earth…we all are Children of God, whether humans, animals, or even insects. There is nothing inherently wrong with using animals for human purposes, such as food, clothing, entertainment, and research, but that it should be done in a humane way that does not cause unnecessary suffering.
I just wish to spread the message that TERROR is not coming from some special people or religion, or followers, but it is coming from somewhere AMONG OURSELVES in the form of HATRED, SELFISHNESS, and we need to retrospect ourselves, change ourselves, and Love and Respect all living creatures.
I often see children and adults hitting street dogs by pebbles, people kicking them away, do you think that behavior such things will make our children or friends a better human being? Do you think that we can expect empathy and love from these kind of people demonstrating such irresponsible behavior?
I am a Medical Doctor and let me also mention that one of the known warning signs of certain psychopathologies, including anti-social personality disorder, also known as psychopathic personality disorder, is a history of torturing pets and small animals, a behavior known as Zoosadism. It is widely known that history of cruelty to animals is one of the traits that regularly appears in FBI’s computer records of serial rapists and murderers, and the standard diagnostic and treatment manual for psychiatric and emotional disorders lists cruelty to animals a diagnostic criterion for conduct disorders. “A survey of psychiatric patients who had repeatedly tortured dogs and cats found all of them had high levels of aggression toward people as well, including one patient who had murdered a young boy.”
I believe, if I could even make just one person believe in this, what Gandhi called as AHIMSA (non-violence), the world will have one extra peacemaker and one less Ignorant/violent person on this earth.
Even if I am hated for this effort, even if I am being hurted for this effort, I will still keep CONVEYING to SHED CRUELTY in all ways and become HUMAN in true sense not merely by the virtue of the human body, which itself is a gift of the almighty! And I am sure this is one of the most effective solutions TO MAKE THIS EARTH A BETTER PLACE and avoid such terror attacks!”
i will be goin to a nearby hospital to donate blood as well as urgin my friends to do the same..what other ways can i offer my help, support and tiem to those injured in the blasts?
I have written a detailed article analyzing the political factors that caused the Indian intelligence agencies to be caught unawares of the terror attacks being planned. Read on:
http://commonsensetopics.blogspot.com/2008/11/mumbai-terror-attacks-colossal.html