The night was chilly. Bablu Kumar Deepak, an announcer with the Central Railway at Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus (CSMT) station, was on duty at the long distance terminal. He was announcing the arrival of Indrayani Express when all hell broke loose.
It was the fateful night of 26/11 when 52 people died and 97 were injured at CSMT alone.
A decade later, the 42-year-old Bablu still shudders when reminded of the night. Bablu recollects with horror, "At about 9.45pm, I saw black smoke coming from platform number 13. Soon after, I heard several rounds of bullets being fired. Ajmal Kasab and the other gunmen crossed platforms 13, 12 and 11, firing indiscriminately."
Sensing a terrorist attack, he made continuous announcements urging people to flee platforms 13, 14, 15 and 16 and exit the station from the other end since there was a terrorist attack on the main platform.
"I have a full view of the station from my workplace. I could see people running helplessly, collapsing on the floor after being shot. I switched off the lights of my cabin, locked the door, knelt down and closely followed the terrorists' movements. I took the mike and started alerting people based on their movement," said Bablu, who is now working with the medical department of Central Railway (CR). His presence of mind and bravery saved the lives of hundreds of passengers sitting at CSMT.
He then called railway control and its officials including Vishnu Zende, who was the announcer for suburban trains, to inform them about the attack.
He also remembers how bravely the porters were taking the injured victims to St George hospital despite the ongoing terror attack.
That day, Bablu was on a 7 am - 3 pm shift at Byculla station. However, he had to stay back after his colleague in CSMT requested him to pitch in for her for the evening shift. After the fateful night, he was back to work on early morning of November 28.
"It was a difficult time for my family, who was worried for my life. I was no less afraid. I even gave a call to my wife during the time who was dead worried," he said with a shudder.
Bablu Kumar was awarded bravery award by the Central Railway and is currently posted at Byculla Railway Hospital. However even now, 10 years after the night of horror, Bablu shudders at the noise of loud fire crackers bursting.
