Shekhar and Rathod were both senior officers working in India’s premier domestic spy agency, the Counter-terrorism and Intelligence Cell – CTIC, informally referred to as CTC. The CTC was tasked with internal security, intelligence gathering and counter-terror functions. Shekhar, a joint secretary, was number two in the CTC’s Operations Group hierarchy.

In his twenty years at the CTC, he had supervised the busting of several terrorist cells, most of which were controlled by Pakistan-based terror organizations such as the Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT), the Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM), its predecessor Harkat-ul-Mujahideen (HuM), and Pakistan’s external spy agency, the Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI). In the eyes of his peers and seniors, Shekhar had a knack for conducting challenging, audacious ‘operations’. He took good care of his sources, whether human (informants and agents) or technical (gadgets and machinery). He was a no-nonsense boss, a tough task master, but stood up for his team.

Shekhar checked his phone and found that Rathod had called twice earlier as well. Three calls in less than sixty seconds. Why? What calamity had occurred and where? He braced himself for bad news as he dialled Rathod back. He was keen to find out what had transpired so that it could be dealt with effectively.

‘Yes, Rathod, what is it? Is there anything urgent?’ he said calmly, but unable to conceal the weariness in his voice. ‘I was freshening up. I just got home actually.’

Rathod was apologetic but brisk. ‘I’m really sorry, sir. But there are reports of firing happening in different parts of Mumbai, mostly south Mumbai. We don’t know yet who is firing, at whom and why. This has been going on for the last twenty minutes or so. Mumbai Police is scrambling for a response. The police control room is in a state of chaos, busy dealing with the crisis unfolding.’

‘Firing in Mumbai?’ Shekhar said. ‘This sounds like a typical mafia operation, but … there is hardly any underworld there. Who is firing then and at whom? What is the police control room saying about the identities of the gunmen? How many casualties are there?’

‘Sir, shots, suspected to be from AK-47 automatics, were reported to have been fired in high-profile landmark places that attract well-heeled locals and foreigners and at public establishments that attract a huge number of people. So far, shots have been fired at the Leopold Café at Colaba Causeway, the Taj hotel, the Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus, and the Cama and Albless Hospital near St Xavier’s College in Dhobi Talao.’