At Taj, 10 staffers killed, 11 injured in terror strike

Mumbai, Nov 30 (IANS) Ten employees of the Taj Mahal Palace and Tower Hotel lost their lives and 11 were injured in the terrorist attack on the heritage building beginning Wednesday night, its management said Sunday.

Those killed are Vijay Banja (48), Gautam Gosain (22), Kaizad Kamdin (28), Zaheen Mateen (25), Faustine Martis (25), Sadanand Patil (25), Ramathulla (54), Bons Rego (23), Thomas Varghese (53) and Rabindra Kanmar (32).

Hotel managing director Raymond Bickson said hotel general manager Karimbir Kang's wife and two children were also killed during the first night of the terrorist attack - which has caused 'profound sadness' to the hotel management.

Bickson said the Taj group of hotels might redeploy some employees until normal operations were resumed. He said that all employees were being taken care of in every possible manner.

The Taj and another five-star hotel, the Oberoi Trident, near Nariman Point, bore the brunt of the attack that left at least 183 dead.

Several explosions on the top floor of the 105-year-old building of the Taj, facing the Gateway of India, had led to a major fire early Thursday morning.