An Indian journalist desperate for a scoop ran into the Taj Hotel Mumbai during the terrorist attacks, despite police ordering her not to enter the building.
Preeti Acharya from Mumbai based news organisation DNA told Gulf News that when she entered the hotel at 10:45 pm she saw 15 policemen taking positions.
She said: ‘I can never forget those five hours when I was trapped in the south side lobby of the Taj Hotel. The terrorists were banging on doors, trying to take hostages but did not succeed as the rooms were locked.”
Acharya said she saw at least three grenades fly past her and was injured in the attack. ‘The grenade attack shook the whole building and soon there was a rain of glass pieces and one of them scraped my leg sharply,’she said.
‘As I shook in fear, I realised all the cops had vanished. The presence of an Italian freelance photographer and a curious onlooker who had snuck in and was talking on his cell did not help. Another blast from a grenade injured the onlooker who had now realised the dangerous situation.”
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