The Hindu Business Line : Leo’s recovery: Tryst with bullets, beer and bag-checks

Mumbai, Nov. 19 “My only fear at that moment was that 78 years of my family’s hard work is going to go to the dogs just because of these terrorists,” reminisces Ferhang Jehani, the joint-owner of Leopold Café.

Leo’s, as it is referred to by its ever-increasing base of customers, was the first target of gunmen who fired inside at customers and ran out through the side-entrance through the connecting lane to launch what later became an over-60-hour terror siege of the Taj Mahal hotel in November, last year.

A year later, things have started to get back to normal, says Jehani. And it sure did look it. At noon-time, Leo’s was abuzz with foreigners, students from nearby colleges and office-goers all enjoying some afternoon draught.

But getting Leo’s back into thrumming business has extracted a heavy price. A branch of Leopold cafe to be opened at North Goa in March has now been postponed indefinitely. Four foreigners and four Indians (including two staff) were gunned down by the terrorists on 26/11. The gunmen emptied two magazines (56 bullets) and a grenade in Leo’s. And though it re-opened in just a week, it took the staff at Leo’s five attempts to get rid of all the blood, he recollects.

A year later, there are still grim reminders of that night. A large bullet hole on one of the windows in the front, a few more on the walls inside and a broken glass pane on the mezzanine floor. Jehani says that he did not want to get rid of these marks, “History was created here, so we wanted to keep the marks.” He and his younger brother, Ferzad, were on the mezzanine floor of Leo’s when the attacks took place. “I could at that point see images of the tables in my restaurant empty,” says Ferhang. “Touchwood, which did not happen!” he adds, smiling.

Close watch

Leo’s opened to a packed house a week later and till now business is good. And security has been tightened there to make sure that history does not repeat itself. “We just had one CCTV before the attacks, now we have five. We have also hired private security who keeps guard 24/7. We have hired six armed guards and also our staff has metal detectors. We check customers who come in with big bags.” The customers at Leo’s are very co-operative, he adds, as “everyone knows that we are doing it for their own safety.” The clientele at Leo’s has changed a little bit, he observes. A lot more Indian tourists have started coming in now. “They come to see what all the fuss is about and also to see what has happened. But then they realise that the food isn’t that bad either. So now a lot of them have become regulars here,” he says, cheekily.

But foreigners continue to flock the place as always. On his second visit to India, Sheldon, a drummer from Los Angeles, says the terror attack will not stop him from coming to Leo’s. “It is a good place to hang out and the food is good too. Besides terrorists do not attack the same place twice,” he says, taking a sip of beer.

Overhearing the conversation, a chirpy designer from Goa at the next table screams out, “Its Leos!” Her friend, a worker with a non-government organisation, says, Leo’s is the best to sit and have beef teriyaki and beer and watch the entire Colaba walk past! “Leo’s can survive any terror attack,” she adds, optimistically.

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