UK believes Mumbai will not be defeated

LONDON: While many Britons with friends and relatives living in Mumbai, desperately waited for news of their loved ones, the British Foreign Office confirmed that there were no reports of UK casualties so far. The Foreign office was considering setting up a helpline for those worried about relatives in India.

The Standard Chartered Bank, the biggest international bank in India which suddenly saw a slump in London immediately after the bomb blasts, said it was “appaled by the attacks”. “However, we do believe that the Indian economy is strong and will continue to grow, despite the incident,” Sean Farrell, spokesman for Standard Chartered told DNA.

Temples, mosques and gurudwaras across the country have been holding special prayers for the victims. The Hindu Forum of Britain spokesman Ramesh Kallidai called for western governments to rally behind India. “The international communities need to take these blasts as seriously as the London blasts last year,” he said

British curry tycoon, Sir Gulam Noon, told DNA, “I called up the manager of my call centre in Mumbai this morning to find out the position after the devastating blasts on Tuesday, and he told me everyone has come into work and Mumbai is back to normal. It delighted my heart to hear this.”

“Indians and Bombayites in particular will not be defeated by this barbaric act,” said the 70-year-old businessman. “Like the London bombings of 7/7 last year, Mumbai has also shown its resilience with commuters ready to climb back on to the very network that took so many lives the day before,” said Sir Gulam.

“I cannot even call the perpetrators of this brutality animals, because even animals have compassion, these people are beyond that,” he said. The strength of India is its ability to come together in adversity. It was wonderful to see ordinary people of all communities helping those in need with food and water. This is what humanity is all about,” he added.