J K Dutt: Yeah, probably it was that string of choice abuses which one hears in Punjabi. That sort of thing, that was there. After that, of course since that was the answer enough and there was no question of then negotiating or having a negotiator talking to these guys.

•Shekhar Gupta: There was never any negotiation? Any demands ever?

J K Dutt: No, nothing beyond this. They didn’t make any demands at all. But, yes you see in one of the intelligence inputs which I got from Delhi was that there was a telephone call which had been intercepted and apparently this was an international call and it had been diverted through another country.

•Shekhar Gupta: Through the US I believe.

J K Dutt: Yes, and it was mentioned over there that in the Taj there are members of Parliament, that very senior bureaucrats are staying there and if you want you can take any one in your custody as hostage and whatever demand you want you can make.

•Shekhar Gupta: Your injuries- you lost two lives?

J K Dutt: Yes.

•Shekhar Gupta: How many injuries did you suffer?

J K Dutt: Eight of them were hospitalised out of which one of them also had an eye injury which was due to shrapnel from a grenade that went into his eye.

•Shekhar Gupta: That was an officer too?

J K Dutt: This was an officer too.

•Shekhar Gupta: But, I believe progressing well now.

... contd.