Ep 3. Mumbai Massacre

On November 26, 2008, a group of ten terrorists carried out a coordinated series of attacks across Mumbai, India. The targeted locations included the Taj Mahal Palace Hotel, the Oberoi Trident Hotel, the Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus railway station, Leopold Cafe, Cama Hospital, and the Nariman House Jewish community center. The attacks lasted for three days and resulted in the deaths of 166 people and injuries to hundreds more.

In the Secrets of the Dead season 9 episode 3 titled Mumbai Massacre, the events of that devastating night are explored through interviews with survivors and eyewitnesses and archival footage. The episode delves into the planning and execution of the attacks and the subsequent investigation.

The episode begins with a timeline of events leading up to the attacks, including the training of the terrorists by Lashkar-e-Taiba, a Pakistani militant organization, and their journey to Mumbai via boat. Once the terrorists arrived in Mumbai, they split into teams and began their attacks.

One of the main focuses of the episode is the Taj Mahal Palace Hotel, where over 30 people were killed. The hotel was a popular tourist destination and the terrorists specifically targeted it as a symbol of Western influence in India. Survivors and eyewitnesses recount their harrowing experiences of hiding from the terrorists as they roamed the halls and rooms of the hotel.

The episode also covers the attacks on other locations, such as the Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus railway station and the Nariman House Jewish community center. The latter was targeted because of its connections to Israel and the Jewish community, and the episode includes an interview with the wife of Rabbi Gavriel Holtzberg, who was inside the center with their infant son and was among those killed.

The aftermath of the attacks is also explored, including the siege on the Nariman House that lasted for over 48 hours and the eventual deaths of the terrorists. The investigative efforts of the Mumbai Police and the Indian government, as well as the involvement of foreign agencies such as the FBI, are also detailed.

Overall, Mumbai Massacre is a gripping and emotional examination of the tragic events of November 2008. Through firsthand accounts and expert analysis, viewers gain a deeper understanding of the motivations behind the attacks and the impact they had on the people of Mumbai and beyond.