Mumbai terrorist attack

Mumbai (Bombay) has been struck by terror again. This time it was the evening crowd on the commuter trains. Infact, it is fast becoming a routine in India, for one of its cities to face brutal attack. With ever heinous act, the next one becomes more sophisticated, deadly and comes at quicker interval. October, 2005 it was New Delhi; March brought gory attacks to Varanasi and now it is Mumbai.

The dastardly attack of Mumbai is being covered by the media across the world. It is heart wrecking to see such pitiable sights. Bodies being carried in make shift stretchers, personal items strewn around, and poodles of blood. Also seen are, what remained of train carriages, mangled heaps of metals and destroyed train stations.

It is surprising that no ambulances, no rescue workers, no police presence were shown on television even two hours after the incident. It was fellow citizens, who had taken the task of relief and rescue. Few police constables are shown, loitering and shooing away the onlookers. Wonder where is the government relief and rescue machinery? Or perhaps the death of couple of hundred people doesn’t matter much in a city of 17 million.

The media was no surprise either. One Indian television network(IBN) was too happy, to say it again and again that they were the first to cover the incident, as they had one of their reporters traveling on one of the ill-fated trains. They seemed to lose no opportunity of earning few brownie points over the other news media. Reuters seized the opportunity by suspecting the “militants fighting the rule of New Delhi in disputed Kashmir” to be involved in the blast. It went on to further mention, “Kashmir has been split between India and Pakistan since shortly after the two countries gained independence from Britain in 1947, but both claim it in full”. NBC reports that atleast two Americans are injured in the attack and alluded to possible Al Qaeda link. They mention information from Indian intelligence for this.

As to be not left behind the trend, the Indian media tomorrow, will first of all name this attack as '11/7' or '7/11'. There will be few reports about ‘spirit of Mumbai’ and the ‘indomitable courage of the people’ living there. Does not matter, if it was the ‘spirit’ or the ‘compulsion of life’ for the average people of Mumbai to take the same commuter trains and head to their place of work the very next morning.

May God give strength to all those who lost their loved ones in this cowardly act and all departed souls rest in peace.