Six weeks after bombings rocked New Delhi, Mumbai has been attacked by terrorists with guns and grenades, holding 200 people hostage in the Taj Hotel, killing at least 80 people and injuring 900. Here’s the latest from the global newsroom:

Terrorists came on boats: Deshmukh. The terrorists, who created havoc in Mumbai overnight, came by boats and struck at 10 places but their number is not known immediately, Chief Minister Vilasrao Deshmukh said. Addressing a press conference in the wee hours, he said two terrorists had been killed in encounters with police and security forces and nine suspects have been detained. The terror attacks began between 9 pm and 9.15 pm with indiscriminate firing and bomb blasts, Deshmukh said. The terrorists came by boats and started firing, he said but their number was not immediately known. The attackers threw grenades and fired indiscriminately while storming the hotels across Mumbai, he added. — NDTV

Terror attacks in Mumbai; 80 dead, over 900 injured. In one of the most violent terror attacks on Indian soil, Mumbai came under an unprecedented night attack as terrorists used heavy machine guns, including AK-47s, and grenades to strike at the city’s most high-profile targets — the hyper-busy CST (formerly VT) rail terminus; the landmark Taj Hotel at the Gateway and the luxury Oberoi Trident at Nariman Point; the domestic airport at Santa Cruz; the Cama and GT hospitals near CST; the Metro Adlabs multiplex and Mazgaon Dockyard — killing at least 80 and sending more than 900 to hospital, according to latest reports. The attacks have taken a tragic toll on the city’s top police brass: The high-profile chief of the anti-terror squad Hemant Karkare was killed; Mumbai’s additional commissioner of police (east) Ashok Kamte was gunned down outside the Metro; and celebrated encounter specialist Vijay Salaskar was also killed. — Times of India

A city, which never sleeps, brought down to its knees. As the siren blazing Toyota Qualis of the Mumbai police blazed passed, people could be seen running helter skelter, at times even crawling to save themselves from at least five near-simultaneous firings and explosions rocking areas in the vicinity of posh hotels in South Mumbai. Even as heavily armed police stormed into Taj Hotel, just opposite Gateway of India where suspected terrorists were still holed up, blood soaked guests could be seen carried out into the waiting ambulances. — NDTV

Vinu’s photostream Bombay Blast:

Deccan Mujahideen claims responsibility. Teams of heavily armed gunmen stormed luxury hotels, a popular tourist attraction and a crowded train station in at least seven attacks in India’s financial capital, killing at least 78 people and wounding at least 200, officials said Thursday. Large plumes of smoke were seen rising from the top of the landmark Taj Hotel and heavy firing could be heard, a witness said. Among the dead was Hemant Karkare, chief of the police anti-terrorist squad in Mumbai, Indian television channels reported. A media report says a little-known group, the Deccan Mujahideen, has claimed responsibility for the Mumbai terrorist attacks. The Press Trust of India news agency said Thursday the group sent e-mails to several media outlets. — International Herald Tribune

Coordinated nature of Mumbai shootings points to shadowy Islamist group. With India in the grip of a wave of terrorist attacks that have claimed more than 200 lives already this year, it was only a question of when, rather than if, Mumbai would be hit. Despite claims by India’s security forces to have rounded up many of those involved in the wave of bombings that struck Delhi in September, there appeared to be little national confidence that the killings were at an end. — The Guardian

Mumbai under seige! Maharashtra under red alert. Suspected terrorists attempt to hijack Taj Mahal hotel. Firing and bomb blasts nine places in Mumbai. 60 killed, 30 injured.. Nigerian terrorist gang suspected to be involved. Attempt has been to capture Taj Mahal hotel. Timeline follows. — Mumbai Mirror

Checking in on family. A friend called from Mumbai to find out if I’m fine and mentioned that he’s actually made groups in his phone’s contact list — one for each metro city of the country. Makes it easier for him to react and find out about family and friends every time a blast happens. I’m beginning to realise he has a point. — Global Voices

Mumbai blasts. It seemed like just another night of boredom. Someone knocked at the door. Vishal went to open the door and cried at me “Mayank, Kuch bawaal hua hai!” There was this friend of his who had just returned from Colaba. A shootout had just occurred near Bade Miyan where he was eating. And as we were discussing and dialling random numbers on the cellphone, we heard three explosions within seconds or minutes of each other. The ground shook. This was not just another night. — I blog I am a Dog

Witness: ‘I was splattered with blood’. “When the doors opened, two Japanese men riding with us got out, but immediately signaled for us to go back in the lift,” he said, speaking by telephone as the violence that left at least 78 people dead continued to rage. “As they got back in, a bullet hit one of the Japanese men in the back of the leg. Flesh and blood splattered everywhere. “I looked up to see one of the gunmen was approaching. I tried to close the door, but the injured guy’s leg was preventing it from closing.” Jones said he dropped to his knees and frantically pulled the Japanese man’s leg back into the elevator, watching the doors close even as the gunman was bearing down on them. iReport.com: Are you there? “I only just kept it together enough to get the door shut,” he said. — CNN

IBN Indian TV video news reports.

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