Live Blog: Bombay under Siege IV

1.30

Troops have entered the Oberoi hotel and are combing each room in the hotel carefully. An explosion was reported in Oberoi hotel. A man being interviewed outside the hotel has a sister in there and he is clearly emotional. The terrorists have grenade and explosives. So no one can predict what will happen exactly. 

Schools and colleges have declared a holiday. Even my employer has kindly given me a day off. The attacks started with Leopold at 9.30 and ended with the taking of hostages in Taj and Oberoi. Commissioner A. N. Roy has said that there is no attempts at negotiations and therefore it is only action which we can expect from now. 

Interesting aspect of the terrorists' entry into Bombay. As already reported they came from Machimar Nagar in Colaba and were traveling in an inflatable. Some of them went towards Taj and some towards Oberoi which lie on either sides of Machimar Nagar. A man who had seen them and accosted them at 9.30 was told they were students. By some fluke of coincidence this man happens to be a supervisor in Taj Hotel, the very hotel which is under siege. He reported the incident to the local police who didn't take any action. What if the suspicious police had followed in the direction in which the youths had gone? They could have been apprehended. 

A merchant vessel MV (Merchant Vessel) Alpha is supposed to have dropped the attackers near Bombay. The Indian Navy and Coast Guard are pursuing the vessel in international waters. Just a few minutes ago the camera showed some foreign nationals being evacuated from the Taj and the Rapid Action Force (RAF) personnel arrayed in position in front of the hotel. Don't know when the action will start. 

Meanwhile no breakthroughs are reported from either Oberoi at Nariman Point or Nariman Bhavan in Colaba.