Timeline of Mumbai terror attack

Mumbai:It was a cool night on November 26, 2008, when 10 heavily-armed Pakistani terrorists brazenly entered Mumbai through the soft Arabian Sea route in a dinghy.

Minutes later, they launched one of the most brutal terrorist attacks that the world has seen, targeting several prime locations in South Mumbai, covering a 4-5 sq km area, leaving India shaken and the global community shocked.

The attack – at iconic locations such as Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus, Hotel Taj Mahal Palace & Tower, Hotel Trident, Nariman House, Leopold Café, Cama Hospital, Wadi Bunder – killed 166 persons and left another 300 injured, besides inflicting massive damage to public and private properties.

Here's what happened – and the subsequent sensational events that finally culminated in the hanging of the sole gunman caught alive, Ajmal Amir Kasab. But, the 26/11 strike case still continues in courts:

2008:

Nov 26: Kasab and nine Pakistani gunmen launch a bloody attack on multiple locations in south Mumbai.

Nov 27: At 1.30 am, Kasab is caught and placed under arrest, admitted to Nair hospital.

Nov 29: Kasab gives statement to police, confesses role.

Nov 29: All places under siege secured after 60 hours, nine terrorists killed – Nazir, Babar Imran alias Abu Aksa, Abu Ali, Abu Soheb, Bada Abdul Rehman, Abu Umar, Fahadullah, Abdul Rehman Chhota and Abu Ismael.

Nov 30: Kasab confesses before police.

Dec 27/28: Identification parade held.

2009:

Jan 13: M L Tahaliyani appointed 26/11 Special Judge.

Jan 16: The high-security Arthur Road Central Jail selected as the venue for Kasab's trial.

Feb 5: Kasab's DNA samples matches with articles seized from the Kuber fishing boat.

Feb 20/21: Kasab confesses before Magistrate (Mrs) R V Sawant-Wagule.

Feb 22: Criminal lawyer Ujjwal Nikam appointed Special Public Prosecutor (SPP).

Feb 25: Charge-sheet against Kasab, two others, filed in Esplanade Metropolitan Court.

April 1: Anjali Waghmare appointed Kasab's lawyer.

April 15: Trial of 26/11 case commences.

April 15: Anjali Waghmare removed as Kasab's lawyer.

April 16: Advocate S G Abbas Kazmi appointed Kasab's lawyer. Claims Kasab is a "minor".

April 17: Kasab's confession opened in court, he retracts.

April 20: Prosecution charges Kasab on 312 counts.

April 29: Kasab is a major, say experts.

May 6: Charges framed, Kasab charged on 86 counts, denies charges.

May 8: First eyewitness deposes, identifies Kasab.

June 23: Non-bailable warrants issued against 22, including the dreaded Hafeez Saeed, Zaki-ur-Rehman Lakhvi – both in Pakistan.

June 25: Kasab suffering from ulcers, court told.

July 20: Kasab pleads guilty before Special Judge M L Tahaliyani.

Oct 9: US-Pakistani double-agent David Coleman Headley arrested in Chicago. He was one of those who recced locations/targets for the 26/11 attacks in 2007.

Nov 30: Kazmi removed as Kasab's lawyer.

Dec 1: Advocate K P Pawar takes over as Kasab's lawyer.

Dec 16: Prosecution completes its case.

Dec 18: Kasab denies all charges.

2010:

Feb 11: Prominent 26/11 lawyer Shahid Azmi shot dead.

Feb 22: Headley issue crops up in court for the first time.

Feb 23: Final arguments to begin from March 9.

Mar 31: Special Court fixes May 3 as date of judgement.

April 6: Then Home Minister R R Patil's sensational disclosure in Maharashtra legislature that the bodies of nine slain Pakistani terrorists were buried in January 2010 somewhere near Mumbai. He also warned that any future terrorists would meet a similar fate.

May 6: Kasab sentenced to death by 26/11 court.

June 8: Amin Solkar and Farhana Shah appointed lawyers for Kasab to appear in Bombay High Court.

Oct 18: Kasab's death sentence confirmation/his appeal commences in High Court.

Oct 19: Kasab's throws tantrums, says he wants to attend the court in person, spits at camera and says, "Send me to America"; judges warn him to behave.

Oct 25: High Court judges view CCTV footage purportedly showing Kasab and slain terrorist Abu Ismael in terror acts.

Oct 27: SPP Nikam justifies death sentence to Kasab by trial court.

Oct 29: Kasab confused trial court by frequent U-turns, argues Nikam.

Nov 19: Nikam tells court that 26/11 attackers wanted separate state for Muslims.

Nov 22: Kasab is a liar and plotter, argues Nikam.

Nov 23: High Court Judges again watch CCTV footage of Kasab and Ismael.

Nov 24: Nikam tells the High Court that the trial court had erred in partially accepting Kasab's confession.

Nov 25: Kasab's lawyer Amin Solkar says trial was unfair; demands retrial.

Nov 30: Solkar argues that charge of "waging war against nation" not made out against Kasab.

Dec 2: Kasab did not come from Pakistan by dinghy, his lawyer argues; says that the dinghy could not accommodate 10 persons.

2011:

Jan 17: Court reserves judgement till February 7.

Feb 7: Court sets February 21 as judgement date.

Feb 21: Bombay High Court upholds Kasab's death verdict.

March: Kasab writes to Supreme Court challenging HC order.

Oct 10: Supreme Court stays execution of Kasab's death sentence. Kasab claims to that he was "brainwashed"; did not deserve the death sentence as he was very young.

Oct 18: Supreme Court admits Maharashtra appeal challenging the acquittal of Kasab associates Fahim Ansari and Sabahuddin Ahmed.

2012:

Jan 31: Kasab contends in Supreme Court he was denied a free and fair trial.

Feb 23: Supreme Court views footage of Mumbai carnage, hears taped conversation of Kasab and his Pakistani handlers and among the 10 terrorists who carried out the attacks.

April 25: After a marathon hearing of nearly 10 weeks, Supreme Court reserves its verdict.

June 25: Sayed Zabiuddin Ansari alias Abu Jundal, an accused in 26/11 and other terror cases, deported to India from Saudi Arabia.

Aug 29: Supreme Court upholds High Court death sentence to Kasab.

Aug 29: Supreme Court upholds acquittal of Fahim and Sabahuddin.

Sept: Kasab, through Maharashtra government, moves a mercy plea to President.

Oct 16: Centre moves Supreme Court seeking rejection of Kasab's mercy petition.

Nov 5: President rejects Kasab's mercy plea.

Nov 8: Maharashtra informed of President's decision.

Nov 21: Kasab taken to Yerawada Central Jail, Pune, hanged in secret and buried somewhere in the jail complex in an operation scripted by State Home Minister R R Patil.

2013:

Jan 24: Headley sentenced to 35 years by a US Court, currently in jail.

2015:

Dec 10: Mumbai Special Court pardons Headley in return for turning approver and providing full conspiracy details of 26/11 attacks.

2016:

Feb 16: Headley deposes in Bombay High Court before SPP Ujjwal Nikam for the 26/11 trial by video-link from his jail cell. Evidence later submitted to Pakistan.

2018:

July 8: Headley survives an alleged attack on his life in US jail, but authorities refused to comment.

(NOTE: Dates not mentioned in two instances. This is because these actions were done in secrecy and officials later informed the media about them)

10 years on, revisiting Mumbai's terror hours

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