Thaindian News

Mumbai, Nov 27 (IANS) The elite National Security Guard (NSG) Thursday said that their operations to flush out terrorists at the Taj Mahal Palace and Tower Hotel had become slow since commandos were sanitising every single room but was confident of finishing operations before dusk.”The progress at the hotel has become slower since we are checking every room on every floor for any explosives or other suspicious items. As we are moving, we are also discovering bodies and unconscious people,” J.K. Dutt, Director General (DG) NSG told mediapersons.

“However, since people have been used as human shields inside the hotel, we are avoiding heavy use of power to avoid collateral damage,” he added.

Dutt said that additional enforcements had been brought in to speed up the operation. The progress, however, depended on the resistance they faced, he added.

“We may adopt a change of tactics but are looking at closing the operations at dusk,” he said.

The most audacious terror attack in Mumbai began Wednesday night when militants attacked high profile landmarks, including the Taj Mahal Palace and Tower Hotel, Oberoi Trident Hotel, Metro Theatre and the Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus (formerly Victoria Terminus) railway station. At least 101 people, including a foreign tourist and four top police officers, were killed and over 250 injured.

The crisis continued Thursday with terrorists holding people hostage in the two five-star hotels.