Finally Ends

Mumbai: The terrorist siege of Mumbai ended this morning with security forces killing all gunmen in the flushing-out operations to secure the iconic Taj hotel, nearly 62 hours after a band of ultras struck at various centres in the country's financial capital.

Commandos carried out combing operations in the 529-room hotel, the last theatre of action. But by way of abundant caution the NSG refused to declare that the operations were over.

There was no immediate word on recovery of bodies in Taj. The death toll in the terrorist mayhem has already reached 190 including 14 police and NSG personnel. In all, 14 terrorists were killed and one captured alive.

"Three terrorists have been killed but the operations are still on. Until we search the entire hotel room-by-room and satisfy ourselves that are no more terrorists, I will not declare the operations over," NSG Director General J K Dutt told reporters shortly after 0830 hours.

"Only guests could be there. There may be no terrorists," he said.

An AK-47 rifle was also recovered from them. "There was lot of shooting. Grenades were lobbed and explosives were used by the terrorists," he said.

The elimination of the three terrorists came after intense battle between the commandos, who believed there was a lone gunman holding out, and the terrorists who kept exploding grenades at periodic intervals.

Dutt said the terrorists set off fires whenever they came under pressure as a diversionary tactics.

On Friday, the security forces had regained control of the Oberoi-Trident hotel and the Nariman House where five Israeli hostages were killed.