This is a timeline of the 2008 Mumbai attacks.

Warnings given to Taj Hotel and the Centre

In October, US intelligence agencies warned the chairman of the company that owns the hotel, Mr Ratan Tata that there will be a terrorist attack on the Taj Mahal Palace Hotel. Security was increased, but was removed soon after.[1]

On 18 November, Indian intelligence agencies intercepted a satellite phone call to a leader of Lashkar-e-Taiba terrorist organization, which revealed plans for a sea borne attack.[2]

Entry into India and initial attacks

Date Estimated Time
(+0530 UTC)		 Event
21 Nov evening Ten terrorists leave Karachi, Pakistan in a boat and travel for thirty-eight hours, remaining undetected by the Indian Navy.[3][4]
22 Nov Each of the 10 men is given 6 to 7 magazines of 30 rounds each plus 400 rounds not loaded in magazines, 8 hand grenades, one AK-47 assault rifle, an automatic loading revolver, credit cards and a supply of dried fruit.[3][5]
23 Nov The terrorists hijack an Indian trawler, the Kuber, killing four fishermen and ordering the captain to sail to India.[3]
26 Nov dusk They reach within four nautical miles (7 kilometres) of Mumbai and kill the captain. They then proceed to board three inflatable speedboats and proceed towards Colaba jetty.[3]
26 Nov 20:10 The first boat carrying around ten of them with several large bags docks at Macchimar Nagar, in Mumbai's Cuffe Parade neighbourhood, where six of the men disembark and the rest continue sailing along the shore. When local residents ask about their occupation, the group responds that they are students.[6]
26 Nov 20:30 Another such incident plays out in Colaba, when the remaining men come ashore at Badhwar Park, Cuffe Parade.[3] They reportedly tell local Marathi-speaking fishermen to mind their business before they split up and head two different ways.[7]
26 Nov Two terrorists attack Leopold Cafe, spraying bullets onto the people inside before fleeing. 10 people are killed and many are injured, including a Reuters news reporter. Terrorists also plant bombs in two taxis, killing 5 people and wounding 15.
26 Nov Four of the men enter the Taj Mahal Hotel, two enter the Oberoi Trident, two enter Nariman House, and the other two men, Ajmal Kasab and Ismail, take a taxi to Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus.[3]
26 Nov 21:20 Armed with AK-47 and AK74U rifles, Kasab and Ismail enter the passenger hall of the Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus railway station, opening fire and throwing grenades,[8] killing 58 people and wounding 104.[9]
26 Nov 22:30 Kasab and Ismail then proceed to the Cama Hospital. The Hospital staff, noticing their approach, lock all of the patients' rooms. The two men reach the Hospital, opening fire there. ATS chief Hemant Karkare attempts to chase them in a jeep, but is gunned down, along with three of his men. The terrorists then hijack the jeep and drive away, but are intercepted by a team from the Gamdevi police station near the pedestrian bridge at Girgaum Chowpatty (Coordinates: 18°57′20″N 72°48′46″E / 18.955552°N 72.812909°E / 18.955552; 72.812909). Ismail is killed and Kasab is arrested.[10][11]

At the Taj Mahal Palace and Tower Hotel

Sources: NDTV,[12] Evening Standard,[13] and BBC[14]

Date Estimated Time
(+0530 UTC)		 Event
26 Nov 23:00 Four terrorists enter Taj hotel.[12]
27 Nov 00:00 Mumbai police surround the hotel.[12]
27 Nov 01:00 Massive blast in the central dome, fire in the building.[12]
27 Nov 02:30 Army soldiers arrive in two trucks and enter the front lobby. Fire spreads across the top floor.[12]
27 Nov 03:00 Fire engines arrive. Shooting is heard inside lobby and heritage building.[12]
27 Nov 04:00 Firemen rescue people with ladders.[12] More than 200 people evacuated.
27 Nov 04:30 Terrorists reported to move from central dome to new tower.[12]
27 Nov 05:00 Commandos and Bomb squad arrive. Police step up pressure.[12]
27 Nov 05:30 Fire brought under control but terrorists holed up in new tower with 100 to 150 hostages.[12]
27 Nov 06:30 Security forces say they are ready for encounter. Government also gives the green signal to storm the hotel.[12]
27 Nov 08:00 People are brought out of the lobby.[12]
27 Nov 08:30 Another 50 people brought out of Chambers Club.[12]
27 Nov 09:00 More rounds of firing, many more people reported to be still inside.[12]
27 Nov 10:30 Gun battle reported from inside hotel.
27 Nov 12:00 50 people evacuated.
27 Nov 16:30 Terrorists set fire to a room on the 4th floor
27 Nov 19:20 More National Security Guards (NSG) commandos arrive, enter hotel.
28 Nov 14:53 Six bodies recovered.
28 Nov 14:53 – 15:59 Ten grenade explosions.
28 Nov 15:00 Marine commandos recover explosives from Taj.
28 Nov 16:00 12 to 15 bodies recovered from the Taj by naval commandos.
28 Nov 19:30 Fresh explosions and gunshots at Taj Hotel.
28 Nov 20:30 Report that one terrorist remains at the Taj.
29 Nov 03:40 – 04:10 Reports of five explosions at the Taj.
29 Nov 04:20 The Taj Mahal Hotel is reported to be completely under government control.[15]
29 Nov 05:05 Revised estimate of one terrorist remaining.
29 Nov 07:30 Fire raging on first floor. Black smoke on second floor. Gunshots heard frequently — apparent gun battle.
29 Nov 08:00 Indian commandos state that the Taj Hotel is now under control though they are still conducting room to room searches. People celebrate on the streets.[16]

At the Oberoi Trident

  Date   Estimated Time Event
27 Nov 06:00 Police don't do anything because they were not allowed to make decisions as situation was handed over to NSG.
27 Nov 08:40 Firing heard, head army, navy officers arrive and take stock.
27 Nov 13:30 Two small explosions. More reinforcements enter building.
27 Nov 15:25 Some foreign hostages rescued.
27 Nov 17:35 Jat regiment arrives, fierce gun battle.
27 Nov 18:00 27 hostages exit Air India building, four foreigners taken to hospital.
27 Nov 18:45 Explosion heard. Two NSG guards, 25 army personnel suspected injured. More people rescued, 31 in total.
27 Nov 19:25 Fire breaks out on 4th floor.
28 Nov 10:00 Many hostages evacuated from the Trident building.
28 Nov 15:00 Commando operations at Oberoi over, 24 bodies recovered.[17] 143 hostages rescued alive. Two terrorists are shot dead.[18][19]

At Nariman House

  Date   Estimated Time Event
27 Nov 07:00 Police begin evacuating adjacent buildings.
27 Nov 11:00 Cross firing between terrorists and police; one terrorist injured.
27 Nov 14:45 Terrorists throw grenade into nearby lane; no casualties.
27 Nov 17:30 NSG commandos arrive, naval helicopter takes aerial survey.
27 Nov 00:00 9 hostages are rescued from the first floor.
28 Nov 07:30 NSG commandos are inserted via fast-rope from helicopters onto the roof of Nariman house.[20] To prevent an attack on the commandos, snipers are positioned in nearby buildings.
28 Nov 19:30 Commandos find all 6 hostages, including the rabbi and his wife, tortured and murdered by the terrorists.
28 Nov 20:30 NSG commandos kill the 2 terrorists in a fierce gun battle and declare the operation over.

See also

References

  1. ^ CNN interview with Mr Ratan Tata
  2. ^ ExpressBuzz article about warnings to the Centre
  3. ^ a b c d e f The Straits Times (30 November 2008). "Terrorists posed as Malaysian students". The Malaysian Insider. Archived from the original on 1 December 2008. Retrieved 30 November 2008.
  4. ^ "Confessions of a Terrorist - India's Sept 11". The Straits Times. 30 November 2008. Archived from the original on 3 February 2010. Retrieved 30 November 2008.
  5. ^ "Mumbai city of death". The Times. London. 30 November 2008. Retrieved 25 May 2010.
  6. ^ Leahy, Joe; Sood, Varun (27 November 2008). "The night Mumbai became scene from a nightmare". Financial Times. Retrieved 27 November 2008.
  7. ^ Moreau, Ron; Mazumdar, Sudip (27 November 2008). "The Pakistan Connection". Newsweek. Retrieved 28 November 2008.
  8. ^ "About 20 Airline Crew Evacuated From Oberoi Hotel". New York Times. Associated Press. 28 November 2008. Retrieved 28 November 2008. [dead link]
  9. ^ "The News International: Latest News Breaking, Pakistan News". Archived from the original on 17 June 2009. Retrieved 20 June 2009.
  10. ^ "Mumbai Hit: Two terrorists shot dead".
  11. ^ Indo-Asian News Service (27 November 2008). "Two terrorists killed, two arrested in Mumbai". The Thaindian. Archived from the original on 26 December 2018. Retrieved 28 November 2008.
  12. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n "Sequence of Taj Events". NDTV. 29 November 2008. Archived from the original on 21 February 2012. Retrieved 29 November 2008.
  13. ^ "Timeline: one night of slaughter and mayhem". Evening Standard. 27 November 2008. Archived from the original on 5 December 2008. Retrieved 1 December 2008.
  14. ^ "Officials quit over India attacks". BBC. 29 November 2008. Retrieved 1 December 2008.
  15. ^ "Scores killed in Mumbai rampage". CNN. 26 November 2008. Retrieved 26 November 2008.
  16. ^ "Mumbai Siege Ends". TOI. TOI. 29 November 2008. Retrieved 29 November 2008.
  17. ^ "Commando ops at Oberoi over; hotel death toll 30". Ibnlive.in.com. Reuters. 28 November 2008. Archived from the original on 1 December 2008. Retrieved 29 November 2008.
  18. ^ "All Mumbai terrorists killed". news.com.au. 29 November 2008. Archived from the original on 19 March 2020. Retrieved 29 November 2008.
  19. ^ "AP: India Shooting".
  20. ^ Nariman House crisis heads for dramatic finish | Pics

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