16 killed, over 50 injured at 8 locations.
Terror struck the country’s financial capital late tonight as “coordinated” serial explosions and indiscriminate firing rocked eight areas across Mumbai, including the crowded Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminal (CST) railway station, two five-star hotels — Trident (formerly Oberoi) and Taj — leaving 16 people dead and over 50 injured.
Armed with AK-47 rifles and grenades, a couple of terrorists entered the passenger hall of CST, opened fire and threw grenades, Mumbai General Railway Police Commissioner AK Sharma said.
The terror strike which began at 10.33 pm at CST, formerly known as the Victoria Terminus, claimed 10 lives in the premises of the station alone, police said. Three people were killed in a bomb explosion in a taxi on the Mazegaon dockyard road and an equal number were gunned down at Taj Hotel. The victims in the hotel were its employees.
The lobby of Trident hotel was on fire and the hotel evacuated, eyewitnesses said.
Maharashtra DGP AN Roy said tonight’s attacks happened in “at least seven places” and were a “terror strike”.
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Sharma said 30 people were injured in the CST incident. Commandos were rushed to the CST, which wore a deserted look and train services suspended.
Some people were injured in the firing at Trident hotel, and taken to a nearby hospital in police vans and ambulance. Firing was also reported in Taj hotel.
Firing was reported at Colaba, Nariman Point and near Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminal and it was on till the filing of this report.
Firing was also reported at Cama Hospital in south Mumbai, police said, adding that a blast was reported in a taxi under a flyover in suburban Vile Parle. A bomb went off in a taxi in Mazegaon dockyard road.
According to Roy: “The suspected terrorists struck in a number of places. Terrorists have opened indiscriminate firing with automatic weapons.” In some places they lobbed even grenades. “In two hotels, some of them are still holed up....In Trident hotel, at least two terrorists are still holed up.”
Roy said that terrorists had opened fire at places and disappeared. “Some people are injured and the casualty figure is yet to be ascertained...Our people have reached the spot and are responding to the situation," he added.
In the national capital, the Union home ministry said it was keeping a close watch on the situation and would provide all necessary assistance to the state government.