NSG snipers review the situation as smoke billows out from the Taj Hotel after a fire during the gunbattle between commandos and terrorists in Mumbai.
62-hour siege at the heritage wing at Taj Mahal Hotel ended
NSG commandos take positions outside the Taj hotel
Major Sandeep Unnikrishnan killed engaging terrorists
commando fires at terrorists holed up in a house
Police examine the bomb blast site after serial terror
Taj resident owes it to Hanuman Chalisa
'Hanuman Chalisa' prayer book and a photograph of Siddhi Vinayak helped a stranded resident in the Taj hotel in Mumbai to remain calm as a gun-battle raged between terrorists and security forces outside the hotel.
"I have my Hanuman Chalisa with me. I have Siddhi Vinayak picture in my room. I have not panicked during the night," said Deepak, while giving the first hand blow-by-blow account of the high voltage gun-battle at the country's century-old iconic landmark on Mumbai's waterfront.
Recalling the incident as it unfolded, he said: "I got a phone call 'please secure your door'."
Deepak was having dinner when he was asked to turn off the lights. Moments later, the television channels were cut off, he said.
"Two explosions I heard were the loudest in my lifetime," he said as he recounted the series of explosions and sounds of firing outside the hotel.
As two gunmen kept firing from automatic weapons, Deepak said he could see people outside running around. PTI