Bombay on its knees

On November 26th, at approximately 9.40pm IST, an event unfolded that has left Bombay reeling in shock. This may not be the attack with the highest death toll, but it is certainly the best-planned and most gruesome attempt to bring Bombay to its knees. This is the most recent in a series of terrorist attacks that have taken place in India this year. The series of events so far is as follows:

A person armed with an automatic weapon started firing indiscriminately at people on the street near Café Leopold in the popular Colaba area. A few minutes later, shots and explosions were heard at the nearby Chattrapati Shivaji Terminus, which is one of the city’s busiest train stations. As the police scrambled to reach the sites where the attacks took place, taxis were blown up at Mazgaon, a crowded Muslim-dominated area in South Bombay, and Vile Parle, a predominantly Gujarati suburb.

More gunshots were heard at the Taj Mahal Hotel at Apollo Bunder, and at the Trident at Nariman Point These are two of the biggest and most famous landmarks of the city. As the media tried to make sense out of all these events, gunshots were heard at the Cama Hospital as well. In the early hours of the morning, Nariman House was also understood to be under siege.

The first reaction was that a gang-war had erupted on the streets. Indiscriminate firing in public was an event usually associated with an encounter or a gang-war, events that were common in Bombay during the 1990s, when the police force went on a mission to reduce organized crime. But it quickly became evident that the firings and the taxi explosions were nothing but a distraction created by the terrorists to reach their ultimate goal: The Taj and the Trident were under siege.

The Army, the Rapid Action Force (RAF) and the National Security Guard (NSG) were called in. Schools and colleges remained closed on Thursday. However, businesses in other parts of the city were open. Most of South Bombay’s commercial district, which is enclosed by Nariman Point on one side an Apollo Bunder on the other, has been locked down. There is a curfew in place in those parts as well.

On any given day during this time of the year, there are hundreds, if not thousands, of people inside each of these hotels. They are where the celebrities, the businesspeople and the wealthy tourists go to or live in while in Bombay. The terrorists quickly took over the hotels, and a gun battle ensued. As of now, over fifteen policemen have been killed, and the total death toll stands at 101. The policemen who have lost their lives include three of the top officers from the anti-terrorism squad of Bombay.

As of this moment, more than 26 hours have passed since the first firing at Colaba. So far, the terrorists have hijacked police cars, thrown grenades at innocent people, set fire to parts of the Trident and the Historic Wing of the Taj Mahal Hotel, and killed over a hundred people. However, there has been some positive news. Two terrorists who tried to escape were gunned down near Girgaum Chowpatty in the wee hours of the morning. Seven of the hostages at the Nariman House have been released. Most recently, thirty-nine hostages were released from the Trident. It has not been confirmed as of now whether the situation is completely out of control or not, as the buildings in questions are very large and combing operations take time. One terrorist has been caught alive. A satellite phone has been retrieved from a terrorist who was killed in the gun battle. Five calls were made to Karachi through that phone right after the hotels were taken over.

These terrorists have been the cause of a lot of panic, for various reasons. First, they snuck in by boat and walked in right through the Gateway of India without being noticed. What was the Coast Guard doing? Second, they created a successful distraction, which made it easy for them to gain control of the hotels. This signals meticulous planning on their part. Third, they systematically killed the top cops of the anti-terrorist squad who were leading the retaliatory campaign. These cops were also part of the investigation team for the Mumbai train blasts and the recent Malegaon blasts. Fourth, they specifically targeted foreigners. Colaba, and the two hotels are very popular with tourists coming from abroad. Reports given by hostages who were freed state that the terrorists specifically rounded up people with American, British and Israeli passports.

These factors signify the arrival of international terrorist organizations in India. These attacks were far more sophisticated in the way they were planned, the tactics used, the weapons used and the groups involved. A little-known organization called the Deccan Mujahedeen has claimed responsibility, but experts believe that this name is another tool used to distract everyone from the real people involved. A consensus among the media is that this event could possibly be traced to the Al Qaeda.


The blame game

I stand behind the government at a difficult time like this. But once this horrendous situation has subsided, a lot of tough questions need to be asked. What has the Government been doing? It is distressing that neither the Coast Guard nor the Navy detected a boat laden with several pounds of RDX sailed to the Gateway of India unchecked. The plethora of Indian Intelligence agencies didn’t have a clue. The police and the RAF seem ill-trained and ill-equipped to deal with the hostage situation. The NSG unit had to be flown in from Delhi. Why isn’t there a unit in Bombay?

As usual, politicians have come out with statements praising the spirit of Bombay. Floods. Bombs. Terrorists. It’s the same thing over and over again. The spirit of Bombay. It’s not the spirit; it’s the possibility of losing a day’s salary that makes the average man go to work the next day, even if it means risking his life for it. Time and again, the administration has failed to provide a safe environment for its citizens. Think of what this incident means for India’s business climate, its tourism industry, and its self-confidence.

I understand that such an event is unprecedented. But what really scares me is that I don’t think the administration is going to learn anything from all this. They didn’t learn anything the last time around. The Congress-led United Progressive Alliance is too soft on terror. This is reflected by the alarming rise in terrorist attacks in the years the Congress has been in power. It is also shown from the fact that the Congress was only too eager to repeal the Prevention of Terrorism Activities (POTA) Act, which, when enacted by the BJP, gave sweeping powers to the Government to swiftly try cases related to terrorism and levy heavy penalties on those proven guilty. Now that POTA has been repealed, it takes ages for terrorism cases to go through the regular courts.

India needs to be more proactive in the war on terror immediately. It means flexing its muscles to warn Pakistan and Bangladesh to stop aiding terrorist activities. It means punishing those found guilty in a swift and consistent manner. It means having an administration which does not shy away from aggressive behavior. When the security of a nation is at stake, proactiveness is the order of the day. The Congress needs to man up to the challenge, or resign from power.

What does this mean for the average citizen of Bombay? He can’t really do anything about it. As I watched the plume of smoke rise from the Trident, a feeling of helplessness took over me. My first reaction was to call people I know and make sure that they were okay. A friend of mine was caught in the gunfire at Colaba. Another one was fifty feet away when the taxi blew up at Vile Parle. Luckily, both escaped unhurt. As the news unfolded, the whole city was glued to its television sets into the wee hours of the morning. A combination of angst, fear, confusion, distress, helplessness, sorrow and rage engulfed me. The beautiful view of Nariman Point in the distance, affectionately called the Queen’s Necklace, had been tainted. As the sound of gunfire and explosions pierced the air into the night, I cried my heart out. I’m sure Bombay was crying too.

Sources:

Eyewitness accounts by the author
www.ibnlive.com
www.timesofindia.com
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