Indian officials were ‘holidaying’ in Murree during Mumbai attacks

Home ministry officials’ stay was extended by a day after scheduled talks.

On November 26, 2008, when 10 gunmen allegedly from the Lashkar-e-Taiba militant group went on a killing spree across Mumbai, India's top security officials were ‘holidaying’ in the popular Pakistani resort town of Murree, India Today reported in what it called a ‘shocking expose’.



Three officials of India’s Ministry of Home Affairs — Home Secretary Madhukar Gupta, Additional Secretary Anwar Ahsan Ahmad and Joint Secretary Diptivilasa — along with three other officials were enjoying Pakistani hospitality in Murree when Mumbai was under siege.

Former undersecretary R V S Mani said, “Those days, talks were taking place alternately in India and Pakistan. In 2006, it took place in Pakistan; in 2007, it took place in India at the Le Meridian hotel in Delhi; while in 2008, it was to be held in Pakistan.

“November 25 was decided for the talks, following which an approach paper was prepared and cleared. Our delegation left on November 24. I was in Lucknow on November 25 for some court case. I remember that when I returned on November 26, I came to know that their visit was extended by a day, and then what happened on the night of November 26 we all know."



Asked if the officials tried to contact them in Pakistan after the attack, Mani said, "Deputy commandant-level officers of paramilitary such as BSF, ITBP and CRPF were in the control room. They kept on trying to contact the Indian counterterrorism officers in Islamabad but were unable to reach them. It could be a Pakistan's ploy to make them stay at a place where there is a mobile network issue.”

Published in The Express Tribune, June 12^th, 2016.