'Only the tyres and chassis were left'

Two Vodafone employees, Bhaurao Kumbhar and Manoj Nagapure, who work as network engineers with the cellphone company, were returning to Mahim, central Mumbai, from work at a site in Vile Parle when they witnessed an explosion in Vile Parle at about 10.30 pm, about 45 minutes after the first incidents of shooting began in south Mumbai.

They were travelling in a Tavera van on Hanuman Road when 200 metres away from them a taxi moving towards Andheri exploded in front of them.

Kumbhar says, "The taxi was shattered to piece. Only the tyres and the chassis were left. Three people died in the taxi. One victim's head flew 10 feet onto the dividert. You cannot tell who the victims were or their age; they were injured so badly. Flesh was all around."