My hands trembled as the death toll kept climbing

“Yes, I am told it’s a terrorist strike,” chief minister Vilasrao Deshmukh confirmed over the phone in a sinking voice minutes before he boarded a special plane in Kerala to rush back to Mumbai. Even before the words could sink, I was inundated with calls from colleagues who had rushed to the terror targets. As the toll went higher and higher, my heart skipped several beats, my hands shivered and the mind raced against deadline.

At 4.50am, I left the office for Mantralaya to see for myself how the administration was coping with the unprecedented challenge. The main gate was partially open under heavy security. VVIP vehicles zoomed in and out. Chief secretary Johny Joseph and principal secretary Umesh Sarangi were pacing the corridors, trying to put in place the non-functioning emergency cell. 

At 8.30 am I returned home. In less than an hour I got a call from the office asking me to help put together a special morning edition. It was time again to narrate more stories of human tragedy. By 28/11, the shock had given way to anger and anguish. Even as the commandoes and police were battling terrorists, it was time to ask some important questions. Why was chief minister informed of the terror strike late? Who was responsible for the delay in summoning the help of the NSG? The questions were endless. It was clear that the time had come for heads to roll.