Set Taj top floor afire, Pakistan handlers told terrorists

In search of an “important” hostage, the Pakistani handlers were constantly guiding the four gunmen inside Hotel Taj on November 26, 2008 and were allegedly using the internet to search for the profile of the hostages held by them.

This was revealed in their conversations tapped by the Mumbai police that were played in the court on Friday. The conversations were transcribed by the police and handed over to the court. The conversations allegedly taped from the Taj were exhibited at the court, on record. The gunmen had allegedly used three cell phones and one satellite phone.
As per the prosecution case, a 69-year-old banker, R Shridhar (name changed), and four others were held hostage on the fifth floor of Taj hotel.

The discourse shows the handlers were giving the gunmen specific instructions on how to strike terror and chaos in the hotel. The handlers seemed to be getting information from the media and were telling the handlers there is a vazir (chief) stuck in the hotel and that they should find him.

When the gunmen told them about the five hostages, they asked for their descriptions. When it came to Shridhar who is based in Bangalore, they instructed the gunmen to ask him his name, profession etc. The gunmen told the handlers that his name is Shridhar and that he is a Brahmin. “Shridhar Brahmin. Zara search karo (Search him),” said one of the gunmen, as per the transcripts. The handlers checked some websites evidently, and asked the gunmen, “Saamne se ganja hai (Is he bald)?”  To which, the gunmen replied that he is.

The gunmen were also told that a helicopter would descend on the Taj’s top floor and were instructed to set the top floors on fire.