As attacks on India’s financial and entertainment capital persist, military personnel are fighting to secure the Taj Mahal Palace and Tower Hotel, according to the International Herald Tribune.
Shortly before night in Mumbai, police told news media they were trying to secure and capture one terrorist left inside the Taj, who was constantly moving between two floors.‚ IHT reports police told media that two terrorists had been killed overnight in the Taj.‚ Commandos continued operations as the city darkened.
On the first day of attacks, a freelance journalist by the name of Samuel Gill posted a comment on Blast’s “Terror in India” article.‚ He did not answer his phone this afternoon, however, answered an email asking him for an update on the situation in Mumbai.
Gill said that the official death toll at the Trident/Oberoi is 30. He also confirmed that Indian security forces were engaged in gunfights as of at least 11:54 a.m. EST (10:24 p.m. IST), the time of the email.‚ He also told Blast that grenade blasts continue in higher volume than is being reported.
Gill also said that the Chabad House (known as Nariman House in India), a five-story center for Hasidic Jews in Mumbai, was the center of some scrutiny regarding the handling of the crisis there. “A Rabbi and his wife, along with three more had been shot by terrorists before army commandos killed [the] terrorists,” he said.‚ “Now NSG [National Security Guard] has handed over this building to Mumbai police.”
Police say, according to IHT, 93 foreigners were rescued from the Trident/Oberoi on Friday.‚ Later, police found 24 dead bodies in the hotel.
The attacks have increased tensions between India and its neighbor and longtime rival Pakistan, at a time when both countries have been advocating for closer relationships and a joint terrorism combat force.‚ Indian authorities have blamed “elements with links to Pakistan” for the attacks.
Stick with Blast for ongoing analysis.
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