26/11 Mumbai attack timeline - From Karachi to killing of last terrorist at Taj Hotel

India on November 26, 2008, witnessed one of the most horrific terrorist attacks on its soil. Ten Pakistani youths in their twenties trained by internationally banned militant organisation Lashkar-e-Taiba to kill innocents entered the country’s financial capital, Mumbai, from Macchimar Nagar and Badhwar Park. 

The 10 hardcore LeT terrorists had started their journey from Pakistan’s port city of Karachi to Mumbai via the Arabian Sea. They had entered Mumbai with a single mission, to kill as many innocents before being killed. They were heavily armed with the latest weapons and explosives.

They killed 166 people, injured over 300, and made the Metro city which never slept bend on its knees for more than 60 hours. Among those killed included foreigners.  

The well-planned and coordinated attacks targetted Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus, the Oberoi Trident, the Taj Hotel, Leopold Cafe, Cama Hospital, and Nariman House, a Jewish community centre. 

26/11 Mumbai Attack Timeline - From Karachi to killing of the last terrorist at Taj Hotel

November 23: Ten terrorists on a boat leave Pakistan’s port city of Karachi. Hijack a fishing dinghy and kill four of its crew.

November 26

8:10 pm: Terrorists use three speedboats to reach Macchimar Nagar. Six of them disembark and break into smaller groups. 

#8:30 pm: Four terrorists disembark at Badhwar Park and split up in pairs.

#9:21 pm: Two terrorists, Mohammed Ajmal Kasab and Ismail Khan, indiscriminately fired at people at Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus (CST) railway station for around 90 minutes. Around 58 people were killed and at least 100 were injured.

#9:30 pm: Terrorists blew a gas station before striking at Nariman House business and residential complex housing of Jewish Chabad Lubavitch. They killed a Kosher food inspector and took five Israelis hostage and later killed them. 

#9:30 pm: The third group attacks the famous Leopold Cafe, frequented by locals and foreigners. They indiscriminately fired at the posh restaurant for around 15 minutes, killing at least 10 people. 

They planted bombs in two taxis. The blasts killed five persons and injured at least 15. 

#9:35 pm: Two terrorists, Shoaib and Umer, sneak into Taj Hotel’s ground by breaking down a door. They opened fire at the hotel guests in and around the swimming pool. They move towards bar and restaurant area of the hotel. Two other LeT men, Abdul Rehman and Abu Ali, indiscriminately fire and hurl grenades near the hotel’s main entrance.

#9:35: Another group of terrorists attack the Oberoi-Trident Hotel. 

#10:30 pm: Kasab and Ismail attack Cama Hospital. Hospital staff locks the hospital on being alerted. The two terrorists ambush a team of Mumbai Police personnel. Six police personnel including Anti-Terrorism Squad chief Hemant Karkare are killed in the ambush. They seize a police vehicle and head toward the city. 

#10:45 pm: A team from Gamdevi police station intercept Kasab and Ismail. An encounter between police and the terrorists starts.

#10:59 pm: The police team gunned down Ismail and arrested Kasab.

November 27

#00 am: Security forces take positions in Hotel Taj and Oberoi-Trident hotel.

#1:00 am: Terrorists bomb central dome of the Taj Mahal hotel. Massive fire rages in the hotel building.

#6:30 am: NSG commandos takes charge. A team of 200 commandos reaches Mumbai from Delhi. The engage in rescue operations in Taj Mahal and Oberoi-Trident hotels. 

#4:40pm -11pm: NSG commandos free 52 hostages from Oberoi-Trident Hotel. While rescue operations are carried the terrorists hurl several grenades at the commandos. 

#November 28

00:47: A powerful explosion rocks the Taj Mahal Palace hotel.

#7:00 am: NSG commandos airdrop at Nariman House. 

#10:30 am: NSG team rescues 40 hostages from Oberoi-Trident hotel.

#1:00 pm: Gun battle started between NSG commandos and terrorists at Nariman House. 

#2:40 pm: NSG commandos take control of Oberoi-Trident hotel. At least 30 people were killed by terrorists in three days.

#6:00 pm: NSG team secures Nariman House. At least seven people killed in the three-day siege of the building.

November 29

00:00 am: NSG commandos secure Taj Hotel’s lobby. 

#6 am: Gun battle between NSG commandos and terrorists starts at Taj Hotel. 

#9 am: Commandos secure the Taj Hotel after killing all terrorists. At least 30 people found killed.