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. Twittering Mumbai

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

  • vasudev akundi

    Good…very good, I really don’t know how many more attacks it will take before indians actually react. there can never be anyone more spineless cowards than indians. Every one knows that these terrorists are muslims yet…
    The “secular” media will be busy drafting news stories to give enough twists and turns to generate sympathy for the terrorist and not the victim.
    The law and order machinery is desperate to prove the guilt of pragya thakur as a hindu terrorist to give the media and anti-hindu political parties the ammunition. Amar singh will be busy communalizing the fight against terror and call for only muslim police to deal with this situation.
    good…..very very very good for the terrorists.

  • yash

    it makes u feel sad, when u see inefficiency being rewarded. had the IB and RAW chiefs along with the police chiefs of the respective states been sacked (NOT SUSPENDED), WHEN EARLIER BLASTS TOOK PLACE, WE COULD HAVE BEEN SPARED THIS PROBLEM.

    the entire media and ur community as well is shouting about one purohit (though nothing has been proved as yet), ignoring the numerous bigger issues which affect the country as a whole.

    i recommend, purohit, be hired by the govt of india as the intelligence chief for maharashtra (an army officer has no religious or political leanings) just let a shirk speak to him for a few days and givemake him understand reason (if he has done it).

    and for gods sake now look at para military reforms. it is shameful that units had to be called from pune and delhi to tackle the situation when more than 10 CRPF battalions are in and around mumbai. are they security guards – if yes then treat them like security guards.

    the most important – WHAT WERE IB AND RAW DOING THIS WHILE. CHECKING POLLING PERCENTAGES AND WIN LOOSE PROBABILITIES?

    let us please wake up now, or it may be too late after a few years.

    i would also suggest two more things
    first, let us change over to a presidential form of govt – single point responsibility, not collective by cabinet

    second – let the army personnel be moved into police and civil administration. will increase security conciousness as also imbibe their culture in the administration.

  • sarita

    Terrible…terrible…terrible tragedy….as an indian who has lived in Mumbai for 5 years, it is horrible to see Mumbai being terrorized this way…Why can the terrorists realize that by doing such horrible violent acts, they are not “FREEDOM FIGHTERS” as they claim but simply “MURDERERS”….U cant bring back ur dead by taking another life…
    My heart goes out to the many innocent people who have lost their lives due to this incident and the many more who have been traumatized due to the same….

  • srikantkh

    It is an attack on nation therefore it is better to declare WAR in INDIA against terrorism and handle whole situation with the help of ARMY officers at the same time POLICE has to act on criminal offences without political pressure and should focus completely on Crime activities Externally and Internally.

    I am strongly believing that Dirty politics are one of the reasons for the failures in identifying these terrorist activities. I belive that POLICE should act independlty to curb terrorist cells in INDIA.

    I also condem on Human Rights as we are leaving terrorists in Good will as they are taking it as full time job. I also heard that these organisation(terrorist) were recruiting people on contract basis for operation(24000 PM).

  • […] more here: Global Voices Online » India: Blasts, Gunfire and Terror in Mumbai Source : %bombay blasts – Google Blog Search% Latest Google News – Google Blog Search Results: […]

  • we are verry sad,about the situations you country has now.verry verry sorry to all the people of india and mombai.strange world.i hope your touristbussines-will not be toucht to mutch.sad sad sad. helmut

  • […] at the media for their coverage of the terror attacks in Mumbai is apparent on the blogosphere. For one, the mainstream media appears to have taken the approach of […]

  • it is really painful to see our Mumbai like this again. my heart is weeping for those who lost their lives and who have lost their beloved ones due to this mishap. This shows the sheer irresponsibility of our centreal intelligence.It shouldve been been tackled before the move but as usual they woke up after this much blood shed and politicians also might have strong hands behind this, that has to be figured out.Terrorism should be eradicated from our contry without any negatiation. what do they meant to do by killing people like this. we should have an immediate end for this attrocities.
    Rajesh

  • Sunita Parida

    Shame on the Religion of Terrorism……….This is to all the terrorists and Jihadis …………please stay away from this lovely peaceful world……if you want to go to heaven then kill yourself and do the needful….but do not try to kill the innocent people…

    VOICE OF INDIA AND THE WORLD

  • Gaurav Sharma: That you have your own agenda is obvious and you are probably entitled to it. Do you think that today, in light of what is occurring in Mumbai with all of the innocent people being killed by senseless Islamic Jihadist, is the time to promote it? For lack of an other way to put it, it makes you look like an extremely heartless weirdo.

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