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Photographer who caught the terrorists on camera

Sebastian D’Souza

MUMBAI: For ace photographer Sebastian D’Souza, the true import of what he had done the night of November 26 came three days later. “Only then I came to know I had the world’s first picture of a terrorist taken in action,” he says rather modestly.

For 56-year-old “Saby” as he is known, a photo editor with the Mumbai Mirror, taking risks is commonplace. But on the particular night even Mr. Saby didn’t know what was in store for him.

“I was sitting in office finishing up the day’s work when someone heard that a gunman was firing inside the Taj Mahal hotel. Along with my colleagues I got out of the office at The Times of India and headed for the Taj. At the Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus (CST) we heard shots coming from inside and we all ran towards the terminus. I went into the station trying to locate the sound of firing and I reached the place between the suburban station and the long distance area.

“Three policemen were with me and I joined them and we were peeping to look at the men who were firing. The constable next to me had a .303 rifle and he kept shooting. I don’t know where those bullets went,” he says.

Just outside the suburban station area is a Wheeler’s book shop and Mr. Saby saw them shooting one of the salesmen there. “I took some quick shots and I was alone by then since the policemen next to me were dead. I went back to the local train area and entered one of the trains for safety. There was a plainclothesman, who took a constable’s rifle and tried to fire at the terrorists. I was on platform number six when I saw one terrorist enter the local section,” he recalls.

He then ran to platform number four when he saw the man whom he caught on camera, walk into the local train area. He was soon joined by the other gunman. They engaged with the policemen who were firing and they threw a grenade. The duo then entered a motorman’s cabin to reload their guns and Mr. Saby suddenly lost sight of them. He was trying to locate them when he saw them from a distance walking on the first platform. “I realised I was too close and I ran towards platform number six,” he said.

By then the station was emptied thanks to the frequent announcements. He saw Mohammed Ajmal Amir Iman’s rucksack (which contained RDX) in the main concourse area. That was only detected a week later along with some other luggage. He realised the gunmen had exited the terminus when the shooting stopped.

“I never got scared, it was only when I saw them walking towards me that I decided to run the other way. I was wearing a light coloured shirt and did not want to risk being seen,” he points out. Mr. Saby noticed that they shot accurately.

“They did not waste bullets. Even the Wheeler salesman — one of them got him with a single shot from the hip,” he says.

Mr. Saby remembers the Wheeler salesman calling to him for help. He was hiding on the other side near the exit and could do nothing. His pictures made him world famous after they were sold to the AP.

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