Twelve dead in gunbattle at Indian parliament

Half a dozen armed men stormed India's sprawling Parliament building on today, leaving 12 dead in a more than half-hour shootout, authorities said.

In what is being called the worst breach of government security since the assassination of Prime Minister Indira Gandhi in 1984, Delhi police's chief Ajai Raj Sharma said six police officers and an army commando had been killed when the intruders opened fire.

Indian bomb disposal experts are reported to be defusing a car bomb that was also driven onto the site.

An official at the nearby government Ram Manohar Lohia hospital said 17 people were being treated for injuries, including six in critical condition.

Parliament house had been sealed and police dogs and bomb squads were searching the building."We have recovered some live grenades and these are being defused," Sharma said.Pramod Mahajan, India's parliamentary affairs minister, told CNBC India that "all six terrorists have been killed."

Mahajan said the attackers were armed with guns and grenades and sneaked toward the sprawling, red sandstone Parliament complex from three different gates just before noon.

Defense Minister George Fernandes said that army troops had joined New Delhi police at the scene.A television cameraman for Star News said he saw six men in civilian clothes open fire just before noon at Gate No. 12, which is used by members of Parliament.

Parliament had been adjourned at the time of the attack, but most lawmakers, including Fernandes and Home Minister Lal K. Advani, were still inside.

The office of Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee said that he was safe and monitoring the situation. The Press Trust of India news agency reported that Vajpayee had been in the Parliament complex at the time and was just leaving.

Advani said all lawmakers were safe and that there had been no damage to the Parliament building.

"Someone start shouting, 'terrorists, terrorists," said Khara Bela Swain, a member of the lower house of Parliament. I couldn't understand anything, There was chaos."

Some of the gunmen were in civilian dress. "After three or four minutes of firing they started throwing grenades," and at least four exploded, Mr Swain said. "I started to run to save my life," he said.

Police and paramilitary commandos sealed off the complex and halted traffic on major roads in central New Delhi, as gunfire continued for more than a half-hour after the first shots were heard. Hundreds of rounds were fired as police hid behind cars, trees and the corners of the building. The dramatic standoff was broadcast live on most television stations.