Colaba resident who saw attackers deposes

Curiosity got the better of Kamal Singh when he took a stick and entered Nariman House in Colaba to question the two Lashkar-e-Tayyeba attackers about what was going on inside the building, reports HT Correspondent.

Curiosity got the better of Kamal Singh when he took a stick and entered Nariman House in Colaba to question the two Lashkar-e-Tayyeba attackers about what was going on inside the building.

HT Image

The resident of nearby Mehta building, who deposed before the special court on Wednesday, said he was curious to know what the sound of “firecrackers” was about.

The security officer with a private firm reached first floor and asked the two at the staircase: “What happened?”

“I sensed the danger when one of them turned holding an automatic rifle,” said Singh.

“He shouted ‘Kafir aaya hai’ (an idol worshipped has come) and one of them opened fire,” he added.

Singh managed to escape unhurt.

He ran downstairs and left the building while the two gunmen climbed the stairs.

Singh described to the special court the clothes worn by the two attackers and said he had identified their bodies at the JJ Hospital morgue on January 7, 2009.

According to the prosecution, the slain militants were Babar Imran alias Abu Akasha and Nasir alias Abu Umar.

Another witness, Rambhuval Yadav, an employee with Express petrol pump located near Nariman House, said

that a powerful bomb had exploded near the petrol pump around 10.30 pm on November 26, 2008.

Though the petrol pump was the gunmen’s target, it only caused damage to its office.

The special court also recorded the deposition of police inspector Dinesh Kadam and sub-inspector Hanumant Bandarkar.