26/11 Terror Attack: Hmar lanu recalls ‘miraculous’ escape

{INPUI.COM Feature}
[Today, 26/11/2009, is the 1st Anniversary of the Terror Attack on Mumbai! We present Nk. Rakil Lalhrietpui's account of the mayhem and her escape. Rakil, a hostess at the Oberoi Trident Hotel, was working below the Lower Lobby when the terrorists took control of the hotel - Inpui Editor]

It was like any other night at the Oberoi Trident which is located at Nariman Point in Mumbai. I was working at the Lower Lobby which is below the ground floor of the hotel. At around 9.45 pm I heard some noise but did not pay much attention thinking it could be someone bursting crackers. However, there was sudden commotion all around and I could see some people laying down and others running across the hotel floor.

I saw the terrorists, but I could not make out how many of them were there. They were carrying guns and with ruck-sacks on their backs when they moved towards the a bar at the Ground Floor... The first sound of the gun I heard was in fact the one that killed the doorman!

A friend of mine, a trainee, who was standing at the Lower Lobby's main entrance was shot at and later succumb to her injuries right there......

In the melee, we ran inside the Regal Room (conference hall) taking our guests with us via the kitchen. Our guests were mostly Englishmen, Europeans, Chinese and some Indians. Even as we seek refuge at the Regal Hall, we were able to communicate with the outside world using our mobile phones... I couldn't exactly make out how long we stayed in that room or what the time was.... We were able to walk out of the hotel safely at 2.00 a.m the next day (November 27) with the help of our friends from outside, who were giving us instructions which door to take.

At first, we were reluctant to run and at the same time we feel the need to do so. The thought of meeting those terrorists in the hallway was frightening... It was all due to God's grace that we managed to survive the ordeal.

Once outside, we saw some TV people, but there were no policemen around... We had to stand all night outside INOX cinema hall.

What matters now is that at least around 200 people including myself were lucky enough to make our way out before any security operations took place.

When morning came, we walked to Church Gate train station to catch a train that took us to Santa Cruz station. We were back in Kalina--safe and happy to be home again, Alive!, to see another day!

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[Editor's Note: This story has been translated from Hmar language version of Nk.Rakil Lalhrietpui's story that was published in Mumbai Tuisunsuo by Inpui.com]