200 still trapped inside Trident hotel

"Altogether there would be around 200 people inside the Oberoi complex in Mumbai. We believe that not less than 100 people are at the Oberoi side and not less than 100 people inside the Trident side," Vice Chairman of Oberoi Hotels, S S Mukherjee, told NDTV.

The plush hotel is currently surrounded by army and National Security Guards commandos in order to launch an offensive to flush out the holed-up terrorists and rescue hostages.

"We have definite information that the casualty of our staff is about five-six," he said.

Putting last night's occupancy at the hotel around 375-385, Mukherjee said the terrorists "have not gone down the basement and have only gone to the upper floors".

He said generally his other staff are safe and secure but that they are "very concerned about guests, dignitaries, employees and other staff who are trapped inside".

"We have very little information about what is happening inside...what we can hear is that people are generally inside the room," he said.