Who said terror has no face? Terror has a face in all those humans who are alive to tell a tale of the brutal acts of crime committed on them. With the Mumbai siege, finally over what now remains is the left over. The left over, which is neither describable nor imaginable. Mumbai attacks have proved that our security systems have lacked and we have failed. We just can`t state the pain and torture faced by those who were present there. Some have died while some are alive to tell the stories of pain inflicted on them by the terror groups.
Here is one such person Alok Tomar, a senior journalist, and with old association with Zee news himself who encountered the terror attack. Here he has recalled his experience of the Taj cordon. He has pen down his adventures, as he was present in the new building, The Taj Tower. Let`s read his experience---
Alok Tomar---My 17 hours at The Taj…
Landing for the second time at Mumbai airport in 15 days my first plan was to visit the film city to meet one producer friend who has sent me the ticket to do so. However, you call it a coincidence, my fate, sheer destiny or irony of the situation that his mobile was switched off and the car also didn`t come to pick me up.
By chance, it happened that one of my friends, also a fellow traveller, was going to Colaba region so just in order to spend time and to catch-up with old times, I accompanied him. My producer friend called me when I was already celebrating the birthday of my friend’s colleague`s son at the top floor of the New wing of Taj Hotel.
It goes `Beauty lies in the eyes of the beholder` the same happened with me. Taj has always attracted me. I remember, this striking monument was constructed to welcome George 5th nearly a century ago. On one hand where this monument derives a wow from the hearts of many simultaneously, the prices at the famous hotel are really heart breaking. (can do without this)
The watch was striking the chord. At 9 PM, the party has not yet begun. People were getting restless, suddenly a man informed everybody that a blast has been reported at the Sasoon Dock, where I lived for a long time, and gunshots are being heard. Actually, his idea was that somehow Abu Salem has escaped from the prison though we all knew that Arthur Road was far off from Colaba.
All of a sudden, everybody started getting messages on their cell phones. It was a total chaos. After sometime, we heard gunshots on the road below but saw nobody. Finally, when nothing went wrong we started partying again. Later we heard sirens of police and the manager came in the picture that was when we actually realised that something has gone wrong. In spite of children`s resistance the managers called off the party. Some people managed to go down through service lift while others managed to get down through staircases. At last, we all reached the big hall where the plasma TV was running, with the help of which we came to know about the terror attack on the financial capital of India, Mumbai.
I too, am like all is afraid of death but being a journalist the desire to live the adventure in any such situation was one of my biggest fantasies. Mostly, after getting the boarding pass I pray in subconscious to become the part of a hijack drama. Here too, I was just waiting to pen down memoirs of any such incident in my life and this was my chance. Although, I was frightened, I felt lucky too. I tried to move out of the hall by showing my so powerful press card but it didn`t help me as the well-built guard on the door stopped me from moving out. Subsequently we heard our manager speaking that some terrorists have come in the building and thus we must stay quietly at our respective places and if we require anything, we can call up the reception. All chargers of several models were sent. Suddenly the TV stopped working. The response from the reception was very puzzling that there was some technical problem and the TV would be rectified eventually. By that time, we all knew that some terror groups have made their way not only in Taj and Colaba but also at Oberoi and a coffee place nearby.
Some time later, the manager came with some packets of food and said sorry for the inconvenience. He also assured that our safety was his priority. Many of us wanted to smoke hence, understanding the circumstances he brought several packets of Dun Hill with him and opened the nearest room for the purpose also asserting the fact that we won`t be charged for the same. Wah Taj!
Gradually, all of us were nervous and anxious as to what will happen next. However, in due course we all settled. By that time, we understood that TV was disconnected in order to prevent terrorists from monitoring the outside activities. We all relaxed after sometime but were abruptly raised by an alarm that fire has broken in the building. Next to our room was the tomb, which has caught fire. We knew that we might not be able to save our lives but who wishes to be burnt alive. Hell we just didn`t know what to do?
At 1 AM we heard sounds of gunshots and blasts from within the hotel. People who had come their to celebrate their birthdays thought that it`s their death day, now while my mind was working on a new story. Many of my new found friends started telling me about their last wish. By that time, we could see the cranes. Many were even ready to pay for their lives. However, `friends with money you can buy your death not your life`.
Time just passed out. Finally came the morning the most beautiful morning of my life. Sun, which I used to watch regularly unexpectedly, seemed to be so brilliant. It was a perfect morning, morning which enlightened new horizons in my life. The hotel staff kept coming in between to reassure our safety. How brave of them they also kept us informed about where the terrorists were actually hiding. In total, they were keeping us abreast with the latest news of the day. The terrorists were actually hiding in the kitchen and basement as they had planned a 9/11 for Taj by hitting the historical monument at the base.By that time our mobiles were jammed for security reasons.
First time in my life, I slept sitting on the sofa. People say that habit never goes it`s true friends, later when I woke up my first urge was to read a newspaper. I simply can`t live without it. But in all this drama where would I have got a newspaper when we were the biggest news piece of the day followed by every channel and highlighted by all newspapers though that time the conclusion of the terror act was yet to be sketched out. Finally, after two in the afternoon the security guards directed us to move safely down the hall through the service lifts, to the narrow lanes backwards, away from the now lonely standing hotel to the BEST buses.
Thank god and more then that thanks to dare devil commandos, I was safe and sound. A sense of relief surpassed me on the thought that my media friends were not there or else they would have surely asked me that how a newsmaker became news himself. For, which I would have replied all thanks to the terrorists of the Mumbai mayhem………
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