Then came the second opportunity.

00:38: The four terrorists trooped into Room 632 and stayed inside.

00:53: One of them left and returned shortly.

01:28: Another left the room and returned after a few minutes.

02.34: All four left the room and fanned out, igniting fires on the sixth floor.

Nangre-Patil, who continued to remain in the hotel security control room, was once again informed by security staff as soon as the four terrorists entered Room 632. This time, the DCP informed senior officers over the wireless and also sought more policemen. But according to Control Room transcripts of the wireless conversations heard by The Indian Express, Mumbai Police Commissioner Hassan Gafoor told Nangre-Patil to wait for backup.

When contacted, Gafoor said: “There was no question of asking anyone to flee or not engage the terrorists. Nangre-Patil displayed exemplary courage. He told me, ‘Sir, I will do or die’, and I told him not to contemplate such things as the Army was on its way. Two constables with him had died, and he was lucky to have survived.”

Despite repeated attempts, Nangre-Patil was unavailable for comment.

The backup, in the form of the Maharashtra Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) Quick Reaction Team (QRT), “striking mobiles” and “assault mobiles,” were already at the hotel. In fact, three “striking mobiles” with 18 armed policemen each, three “assault mobiles” with five men each, six police station mobiles with a minimum of four men each, as well as a Quick Response Team armed with AK-47 assault rifles — a total of about 120 armed policemen — were at the ground floor of the hotel, awaiting orders to proceed to higher floors.

... contd.