24 more bodies found at Trident Oberoi

New Delhi, Nov 28 (IANS) Twenty four bodies were found inside the Oberoi Trident hotel and hundreds of people could still be stuck inside the Oberoi Trident, Mumbai Police Commissioner Hasan Gafoor said Friday soon after the hotel was taken over by security forces.

According to Gafoor, the National Security Guard (NSG) found 24 more bodies Friday after sanitising a major part of the Oberoi Trident hotel,

'We've found 24 more bodies today.

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Yesterday (Thursday) six bodies were recovered, taking the total casualties to 30. But the process is still on,' Gafoor told reporters after taking stock of the situation at Oberoi Trident hotel.

He said there could be hundreds of people still stuck inside the hotel.

With this, the toll of those killed in the Mumbai terror attack could have gone up. About 125 people have been killed and more than 300 injured in the terror attack that started Wednesday night.

The top policeman ruled out that terrorists used satellite phones at the Oberoi Trident for communication. However, he said a satellite phone was recovered from one of the boats apparently used by the terrorists. 'We are analysing the phone. They also used mobile phones of the hostages.'

'The second round of sanitisation is going on by the commandos of NSG. It may take some hours,' he added.

On being asked why the police had no idea about the terrorists reaching the city by boats, Gafoor replied that India has a 'very vast coastline, which is very porous' making it difficult to keep an eye on all activities. He also denied any intelligence inputs from the Intelligence Bureau.

The Mumbai Commissioner clarified that all the rumours regarding a fresh terrorist attack, firing at Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminal and riots were false.

'Mumbai city is totally safe and secure. All such rumours are absolutely false,' Gafoor said.