- By Nidhi Giri
- Wed, 26 Nov 2025 11:31 AM (IST)
- Source:JND
26/11 Mumbai Attack Timeline: 26 November 2008 remains etched as one of the darkest chapters in India’s history. A sense of fear and uncertainty gripped Mumbai, the nation’s financial capital, as coordinated shootings and bombings were carried out across the city. 10 Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) terrorists, who had infiltrated Mumbai by sea from Pakistan, launched a series of attacks at multiple landmark locations. Among them, the siege of The Taj Mahal Palace Hotel stood out as a symbol of both unimaginable horror and extraordinary resilience.
Bomb blasts occurred at numerous locations, including The Taj Mahal Hotel, the Trident Hotel, the Oberoi Hotel, Nariman House, the Colaba Causeway, and the Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus. 164 persons (civilians and security personnel) lost their lives and 308 persons were injured in the attacksThe list of victims included several senior Mumbai Police officers, including Hemant Karkare, Vijay Salaskar, Ashok Kamte, and Tukaram Omble.
26/11 Mumbai Attack Timeline
November 26, 2008
9:20 pm - Two terrorists opened fire indiscriminately at Leopold Cafe on Colaba Causeway, killing 10 people.
10:30 pm - Two terrorists attacked Cama Hospital, located near the Mumbai Railway Station. Three police officers tried to stop them and were also shot by the terrorists.
11 pm - 4 terrorists entered Mumbai's famous Taj Hotel. 2 terrorists entered the Trident Hotel, 2 terrorists entered Nariman House and 2 terrorists, including Ajmal Kasab, left for Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus (Mumbai Railway Station).
Kasab and his companions opened fire at the Mumbai Railway Station, killing 58 people and seriously injuring several others.
11 pm - 4 terrorists attack The Taj Hotel in Mumbai. Several people inside were killed during the ensuing gunfight. Mumbai had just been shaken by the blasts at The Taj Hotel, when news of terrorists' presence at the Trident Hotel also caused panic. 30 people were killed in the gunfire by two terrorists. Throughout the night of November 26, bomb blasts occurred at various locations in Mumbai, leaving the entire city in a state of panic.
November 27, 2008
2:30 am - Indian Army soldiers entered The Taj Hotel lobby.
4:00 am - During the rescue operation, soldiers freed 200 people trapped in the hotels. However, 100 people remained in the terrorists' captivity. A fierce battle was underway between the terrorists and the National Security Guard (NSG) at The Taj and Trident hotels.
9:45 am – 2 terrorists entered Nariman House and launched an attack.
November 27-29, 2008
NSG, Navy Commandos, and the Indian Army jointly launched an operation against the terrorists. Security forces killed all the terrorists one by one. Ajmal Kasab was captured alive by the security forces.
The Trident Hotel was freed from the terrorists on November 28. By 9 am on November 29, the terrorists at The Taj Hotel were also eliminated.