Mumbai…again???

What is going on? Here is a mail we got from our company manager this morning which sums up the entire incident(s) quite nicely, if I may use that word.

– A corporate communication mailer to be sent to all India staff with travel related alerts
– BSE, NSE to be shut today
– PM will address nation soon after completion of army operation

————-Mumbai—————–

-Central and Western Railway resume local operation
– 800 Army personnel deployed in various locations in Mumbai
– Hostages in Taj and Trident
– 9 Suspected terrorist caught five, tree escaped
– School, colleges will remain close in Mumbai today
– 3 terrorists killed inside Taj
– A bomb has been diffused in Vidhan Bhawan
– Impacted Areas – CST Station, Ville Parle, Santa Cruz, Girgagam Chowpaty, Metro Cinema, Wadi Bunder, Trident Hotel, CST, Taj Hotel, Colaba, Leopold Hotel
– 12 Policeman killed in attack
– People trapped in Taj and Trident (Oberoi)
– Curfew in Colaba and Gateway of India
– Lufthansa, Air France, Northwest stopped flights
– Nine suspected arrested, five killed, three escaped by Mumbai Police
– NSG commando deployed at Taj and Trident Hotels

The first thing I did after I heard about the attacks was obviously message my friends and relatives in Mumbai. I was relieved that J is not in Mumbai at present. I called his mom though and she said she was fine. Out of 20 messages I sent out yesterday, only 12-13 have messaged back. But with every message trickling in this morning, I am feeling more relieved.

Where is the security? Where were the police and the intelligence when so many terrorists entered Mumbai streets with AK 47’s? I heard that Gujarat government had already warned about the attacks about 5 days before. Yet, there were no preparations? Is this how cheap people’s lives are?

I think we Indians are just used to terrorism by now. There have been 64 bomb blasts in the last 7 months in India. Yet, nothing seems to have been done. We are so used to this that we don’t feel panic anymore. I was in Bangalore when the serial bomb blasts happened. Trust me nobody panicked. People just called their loved ones and insured they were safe. I was also in Pune when there was a rumor that there was a bomb in the very building we were sitting in. Still no panic. What does this say about us?

Not that we are brave, just that nothing affects us anymore. We need to raise our voices against the way our government treats us. We need to take drastic measures to prevent terrorism. But I am sure nothing will happen. There will be more bomb blasts and attacks in the future and we will just discuss and curse the government and keep quite.

I just hope all the people who are still trapped are safe. And also, God give strength to all those who have lost their loved ones.