Many Indians in World Trade Center?

By Our Staff Reporter

HYDERABAD, SEPT. 12. A New Jersey-based city photographer, Mr. Mohd. Jaffar, who was in an apartment having a clear view of the World Trade Center has expressed the fear that there could many Indians among the victims of the terrorist attacks.

``Many Indians in New York work in the 110-storey twin tower building and some of them have shops and even run restaurants too. At this moment we do not know the number of Indians dead or injured,'' he told The Hindu well past midnight on telephone.

``The situation is very bad. The New York Mayor had just gone live on television stating that the damages are more than anyone can imagine,'' he said. ``Right now, we can't trace any Indian as we cannot go out,'' Mr. Jaffar narrated.

Several US fighter jets could be seen scouring the skies as the authorities feared more similar attacks, he said, adding that police were using every possible mode of transport to shift the injured to hospitals. His three brothers, Mr. M.A. Rehman, Mr. Shamshuddin and Mr. Khaja Moinuddin, were reported to be safe.

Mr. Ajit Naidu, another Hyderabadi working as a manager in the Meryl Lynch which has its office in the WTC, is reported to have escaped the terrorist attack. His office located in three floors of the WTC was destroyed and the fate of the other employees was not known.

Mr. Naidu was stated to be away from his office when the hijacked planes crashed into it. His friends, who have been trying to reach Mr. Naidu, were the most relieved lot, when they were told that he was not present in the office during the incident.

Another software engineer, Mr. Jaideep Choudhary, hailing from the city and working near New York was reported to be safe after his family received a call from his wife. His mother, Mrs. Choudhary, said, "since there was no power we did not have any inkling about the happenings. It was only when our relatives called up from Mumbai did we realise the magnitude of the problem. It is really tragic.''

A Satyam Computers company spokesman said that all the software professionals of the company working in New Jersey were safe.

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