Police targeting in Mumbai terrorist attacks

Image: A man shows the wounds of another man who was injured in a gunbattle at the Chatrapati Shivaji Terminus. Wow.

Gunbattles. Multiple targets. They attacked the Indian parliament a year or so ago, I think it was. They being the regional franchise of Al Qaeda? But were they targeting the top police officials, or did the top brass engage in the front line of the police counter-attacks? Were they assassinations?
Reports say no, but you have to wonder how they are portraying it. Really?:
Mumbai: Anti-Terrorism Squad chief Hemant Karkare was killed in gun battle with terrorists in Mumbai on Wednesday night.
Additional commissioner Ashok Tampte and encounter specialist Vijay Salaskar were killed in their efforts to shoot down terrorists at Metro Cinema.

I am aware of the horrific tragedy today, the deaths of many dozens of innocent people and the plight of the hostages being held is still to unfold, but - this is going to make one kick-arse Bollywood movie. Not a lame-arse American 9/11 movie, a real action film. As one Indian commenter, Imran Arshad, said "this time incident looks like a novel story or flim." TV stars and so on are actually involved. A plot, the terrorists, the counter-terrorists, the attack, the fury, the ruthlessness, the horror, the tragedy, the gun battles, the counter-attack, the heroes, the victims, the hostages, the drama... I hope it ends swiftly in an Israeli-styled SAS take-down of the terrorists and liberation of all the hostages unharmed... but this is India - so Vishnu only knows. Best of luck to them. They will need it at this rate, these terrorists are terminators and know exactly what they are doing. I'm not sure the local police have the ability to respond, they have taken a serious blow.

Al Jazeera reporting 16-20 police officers killed. What does this mean?
1. The terrorist forces were numerous?
2. The terrorists ambushed the police (intelligence capability?)
3. The police are unco-ordinated, under-armed, undertrained, inexperienced?
4. The terrorist forces are co-ordinated, well armed and well trained.
5. No Indian authority was aware of the plot (but were they aware of the capability?)

The Indian government will have to do something. Previous attacks in Mumbai:
July 11, 2006: More than 200 people killed in seven blasts on suburban trains and stations.
Aug 25, 2003: 46 people killed in two blasts including one near the Gateway of India.
March 12, 1993: A series of bomb blasts left 257 dead and around 700 injured. Buildings attacked included the Bombay Stock Exchange, hotels, theatres, passport office, Air India building and Sahar Airport.

These comments from Indians on this Indian news website:

Posted by jhonts on Nov 27,2008 08:55 AM
If there is any shame left in Mr. Patil, he should resign without uttering one single word after this. We have heard enough of his recorded message after each terror atack- each one deadlier than the previous one.

Posted by Nannu on Nov 27,2008 08:30 AM
Mr. Patil still you have time to show that you have done something for the innocent people of India,just give orders to Hang that Guru who mater minded & planned attack om parliament. Everything is prooved and still that terrorist is enjoying in jail on the cost of tax apyers money. Until unless we kill such terrorist their fellowmen and all chief of terrorist organization keep on doing all these act through young unemplyed innecent sons of India who do not understand that these heads of terrorist organizations must be killed by them firts. Please action required not statements from all leaders.

Posted by Vikas Bhardwaj on Nov 27,2008 05:52 AM
There are two types of terrorist in india one hot terrorists and another cold terrosrist. Hot terrorists are those who are killing innocent people every where. And cold terrorists are our politicians who let all of us to be killed by these terrorists. And Shivraj Patil is the chief of all combined terrorist. He just smiles when ever bomb blasts. And all of us are fool who elect them. Shivraj patil even do not have the courage to call it jehadi terrorism.He should be shot dead first. I request all those jehadis terrorist if they really want to kill people, kill these politicians first in the first go. At least india will be free from these jokers.

And an ID/surveillance society meme emerges within the discussion:

Posted by sundar on Nov 27,2008 10:27 AM
the Govt has to make measures to implement measures for issue of Id cards to all citizens at home and check at sensitive points , know your neighbour well to see what are their activities every citizen has to safeguard because our govt cant provide security to every individual.

Posted by pankaj on Nov 27,2008 10:21 AM
We have to think abt the root of the problem, how these people enter in the city with such a huge arms, we have to create a system of identification of the people, plitician have to stop daulouge and start thinking for the nation but not for the seat. Our politician are more than worst.