Mumbai is South Asia’s financial hub and an entertainment capital, with many of the glitzy targets symbolizes the new cosmopolitan face of the world’s largest democracy.

Ten simultaneous terrorist attacks on 26 November 2008 occurred across Mumbai.

All attacks took place in South Mumbai, at the crowded Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus (CST) railway station; two five-star hotels: the Oberoi Trident at Nariman Point, and Taj Mahal Palace and Tower near the Gateway of India; the Leopold Cafe a popular tourist restaurant in Colaba; the Cama Hospital and the police headquarters where at least three high-level officers, including chief of the Anti Terrorism Squad of Maharashtra, were killed in an encounter with the terrorists.

At least 101 people people have been reported to be killed and 314 plus wounded in the attacks. Among the dead are 81 Indian civilians, 14 policemen and six foreigners, including one Japanese man, one Australian, one Briton, one Italian, and one German residing in these five star hotels.

A previously unknown group calling itself Deccan Mujahedin said it carried out the attack, though experts warned that the claim might be false. Mumbai and other Indian cities have suffered a spate of terrorist attacks in recent years, most of which the Indian government has blamed on Muslim extremists.

Previous terrorist attacks have mostly involved bombs left in public spaces such as markets and parks, causing indiscriminate casualties.

In sharp contrast, Wednesday’s attacks were a brazen, frontal assault using automatic weapons. The targets included police headquarters in south Mumbai, where some officers were pinned down by gunfire.

The victims included Mumbai’s anti-terrorism chief, Hemant Karkare, and two of his senior police officers, which complicated the law enforcement response to the attacks. Television video showed Karkare donning a flak jacket and helmet minutes before heading into one of the hotels.

A number of European Parliament Committee on International Trade delegates were staying in the Taj Mahal hotel when it was attacked. British Conservative MEP Sajjad Karim (who was in the lobby when gunmen initially opened fire there) and German Social Democrat MEP, Erika Mann were last heard of hiding in different parts of the building. Also reported present was Spanish MEP Ignasi Guardans, who was barricaded in a hotel room.

Another British Conservative MEP, Syed Kamall, reports that he along with several other MEPs left the hotel and went to a nearby restaurant shortly before the attack. Kamill also reported that Polish MEP, Jan Masiel, was thought to have been sleeping in his hotel room when the attacks occurred and has not been heard from since Kamil and Guardans reported that a Hungarian MEP’s assistant has been shot.

Also caught up in the shooting were the President of Madrid, Esperanza Aguirre, while checking-in at the Oberoi Trident and Indian MP N. N. Krishnadas of Kerala, while having dinner at a restaurant in the Taj hotel.

These strikes seems too horrifying. As a common man we feel too terrified when we hear how the security wall is breached and the terrorists open fires.

We as the citizens of India unite and pledge to take action against the terrorists who needs to be punished for this terror strike on humanity. My personal view is to not point fingers on politics or on any particular cast for these attacks as this is the time to speak and act together as the people of Indian state.

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