Narrow escape for 'Bigg
Boss' participants in Mumbai terror attack
New
Delhi, Nov 27 (IANS) Contestants of the just concluded reality
show "Bigg Boss", who were to attend a bash thrown
by model-actor Zulfi Syed, narrowly escaped a blast in Mumbai
where terrorists went on the rampage, killing at least 101
people and injuring over 250.
"I
had organised a party at my lounge in the Sahara Star hotel
in Santa Cruz Wednesday night. When I reached close to the
hotel there was a rattling sound. Initially, I thought there
must be a wedding nearby, but when I reached the hotel I came
to know that it was indeed a bomb blast," Zulfi told
IANS over phone from Mumbai.
Among
those present at the south Mumbai venue were Zulfi, Rahul
Mahajan, Rakhi Vijan, Raja Chaudhary and Zulfi's other friends,
including actor Shahwar Ali. Bollywood actors Shilpa Shetty
and Aditya Pancholi were also supposed to be present there.
"I
had invited my friends from 'Bigg Boss', but when I got to
know that things are not under control in the city, I called
those who were on their way not to come because I felt it
was not safe," Zulfi said.
According
to Zulfi's publicist Dale Bhagwagar, who was also at the party,
the blast was in a taxi that exploded just two buildings away.
The blast was part of a massive terror strike in Mumbai -
India's financial and entertainment capital - that began Wednesday
night and continued into Thursday.
Bhagwagar
said: "Rahul Mahajan was scared to bits, he was shivering
like a kid. Luckily, the hotel's staff and security were extremely
sharp and alert to the situation, and handled it with care
and reassurances to all the guests, avoiding any panic situation."
The
show "Bigg Boss" ended Nov 22 after Ashutosh Kaushik
was declared the winner.
Raja
Chaudhary, who was the runner-up in the reality show, said:
"I was about to reach Zulfi's party, but I heard a deafening
sound. I looked back and realised there was a bomb blast almost
400 meters behind my car.
"When
I reached there, everyone was shocked. Though the party was
cancelled, everyone was talking about these terrorists."
Raja,
who is the estranged husband of TV actress Shweta Tiwari,
added he was stuck inside the hotel with other guests until
almost 1.45 a.m.
Even
as terrorists continued to hold people hostage in two prominent
hotels in the city, Zulfi said the state of affairs in the
city was awful.
Raja
said the terrorists must be mentally ill. "They can't
see people happy. Mumbai is a cosmopolitan city and it is
a very happening city. I think they need psychiatric treatment,"
he said.
The
most audacious terror attack targeted high profile landmarks,
including the Taj Mahal Palace and Tower Hotel, Oberoi Trident
Hotel, Metro Theatre and the Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus
(formerly Victoria Terminus) railway station.
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