Chaos broke out two hours ago on the streets of the Maharashtran state capital, Mumbai in India.

Two hotels, a hospital, a number of public transportation terminals, a dockyard and a movie theatre are among the locations in Mumbai that are currently under siege by a number of terrorists armed with AK47s and grenades.  The attacks are concentrated in a 5 kilometre square area.

Witness reports indicate that a police van has been hijacked and is now being used to flee the scene.  Local news stations are reporting uncounted numbers of dead citizens in the streets of Mumbai.

Terrorists are throwing bombs or hand grenades from the window of their Oberio Hotel and firing indiscriminately on people in the streets.  Police report that the hotel is currently 80% evacuated.  The PM of India, Manmohan Singh, has promised quick assistance by all armed forces divisions.

This is reminiscient of the 1993 terrorist attacks in south-Bombay which targeted seemingly safe areas.

A taxi, laden with ammuniton found in suburbs.  Officials fear the attacks will be spreading into the suburbs.

2 terrorists have been shot dead.

Terrorists who entered Oberio hotel carried several sacks feared to contain large explosives.

A Marriot hotel is now under attack.

Explosives in sack have been detonated in Oberio Hotel and Taj hotel.  Three very large blasts.

Terrorists are specifically targeting Western tourists, checking passports, forcing hotel staff to give room numbers of Westerners currently checked in.  All the hostages have been mustered into one area in the hotels which is making the situation very difficult for local law enforcements.

Indian paramilitary forces are on their way to Mumbai to take over the situation.

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Update:

Over 55 are now confirmed dead, almost 200 injured.  The army is on its way.

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Hemant Karkare (ATS head) and Vijay Salaskar (encounter specialist) dead. Plus Addl. Comm. Ashok Kamte killed in one of the Shootouts.

Taj Mahal Hotel is on fire.

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