‘I thought death would be quick if I was shot’

The Bangalore-based witness deposed before the special sessions court that he had checked into room number 632 of the heritage wing on November 26,2008. At about 11.15 pm,someone knocked. He didn’t open the door,having heard from TV reports and from hotel staff who called him that there were terrorists in the hotel. He heard a gunshot and saw the door open.

Speaking in English,the witness said,“The two gentlemen entered the room and stripped me of my kurta and pyjama at gunpoint.” He later took permission from the court to call the gunmen terrorists. “The terrorists tied both my hands. One of them started kicking me on my back,” he told the court.

The witness said he pleaded for mercy. With his head down,he heard one of the gunmen talk to someone on the phone “very politely”. “After some time,I heard four hotel staff members being brought into my room by two more terrorists. One gunman who was limping started interrogating me. It appeared that the questions were being prompted by the person on the other end of the phone,” he continued.

About 2:15 am the next day,all five hostages were taken down to the fifth floor,to Room Number 520. About 3 am,they all heard a major blast and smoke entered the room. “We were feeling suffocated. We were finding it difficult to breathe. The terrorists who were guarding us,I think,moved out,” he said.

The witness then somehow managed to free his hands and helped the other four. The other hostages,who were hotel staff,broke open the windows so that some fresh air could come in. They all made ropes with curtains and bed linen. While the four hostages climbed down the building,the witness remained as he could not get down from the rope. He went from the stairs and was rescued at about 6 am.