Need peace desperately

Yet another terror attack! This time, more direct.. more severe. I still cannot believe insane terrorists roaming around on the streets firing randomly at people around. Shocking. Some of the footage I am seeing on television are really scary.

This particular terror incident is particularly shocking for me. During the past ones, I have always been at home hearing and seeing things on TV. This time, I was at the domestic airport about 20 minutes after the taxi blast at Vile Parle. I was on my way back from Bangalore. It was chaos all across. People confused amidst rumors of 8 blasts. Police trying to shoo away crowd. I was frantically searching for a call-cab to try and make it to home. I did find a Meru cab for the journey. I cannot forget the scenes on the road for the rest of my life. My cab and luggage was checked by police at three points - Sion, Mulund and Ulhasnagar, during the entire journey. Each time, police asked the cabbie to clear off the road as early as possible. Auto drivers and cabbies would randomly stop us and advice us not to take the road ahead. Rumors of curfew being in place all across Mumbai was arift. My cabbie was particularly afraid for a simple reason. He was a Muslim. His apprehensions were very evident. Lots and lots of police, lot of citizens volunteering to clear traffic and assisting the cops, fairly deserted streets, traffic blocks all remain clear in my mind.

I left the airport at 11.50pm. Reached home at 1.20am. My cabbie got atleast 10 calls all asking about his well-being and asking him to reach home safely. Like hime, a lot of cops and people looking after the panic-struck city at the wee hours of the night. Few policemen killed in the encounters including 3 top officials. As I sit safely at home, I salute the people who guard the city against such horrible acts of terror.

The talk about the spirit of Mumbai will be back. Media will highlight the fact that people are back to work even today. Point is, we do not have a choice. With a city as crowded and populated as Mumbai, imagining that few random people can threaten the security is not very improbable. It is not a very difficult task. Terrorists hijacking police van to shoot at people on streets, checking in to star hotels with ammunition, a handful of irrational people paralysing an entire city... where are we headed? They can strike at will, and the thought is scary enough.

I do not have any solutions to offer, just humble prayers for the families of the killed.

Hoping for a peaceful world...