Timeline of Death of Gandhi

The following is taken from The men who killed Gandhi by Manohar Malgonkar. But, Nathuram Gadse did not accept the charges for the incidents on 20th, and few others that were mentioned before 30th. Eventhough the court proceedings may say the following, Nathuram godse gave the actual happenings in his speech in the court. For example, in his explanation at court, he explained how he got revolver, and that is different from what is mentioned below.


12th January 1948

At Birla House, Delhi, Gandhi announces decision to go on fast to press for the payment of Pakistan's share of Rs.55 crores from cash balance in Reserve Bank of India at a time when Pakistan was in war with India over Kashmir.


13th January 1948

Nathuram Gadse and Narayan Apte, editor and manager, Marathi daily, Hindu Rashtra, in Poona, and read the news on teleprinter and decide to kill Gandhi. The 'D-Day' - 20 January - fixed.

Nathuram and Apte meet Digamber Badge, an arms supplier in Poona, to buy grenades and explosives and ask for delivery in Bombay.

14th January 1948

Nathuram and Apte reach Bombay; meet Badge at Hindu Mahasabha Bhawan, Dadar.

Badge meets Madanlal Pahwa, a refugee from Pakistan, at Hindu Mahasabha Bhawan.

15th January 1948

Nathuram and Apte visit Tata Airlines Office, Bombay; book tickets for 17th January for Delhi under false names - D.N.Karmakar and S.Marathe.

Nathuram and Apte meet Vishnu Karkare in Bombay, secretary of Hindu Mahasabha Bhawan, Ahmednagar, tell him about their plan to kill Gandhi. Now Karkare, Madanlal, Badge and his servant Shankar join hands. All decide to reach Delhi by 18th January.

Gandhi's third day of fast; Indian government announces to release Rs55 crores to Pakistan.

16th January 1948

Nathuram manages to buy a .22 bore magazine pistol in Poona; not satisfied, asks Badge to get it exchanged for a big revolver; Badge gets a .32 revolver.

17th January 1948

Madanlal and Karkare reach Delhi; check into Sharif Hotel, Chandini Chowk.

Nathuram and Apte reach Delhi; they check into Hotel Marina (Room No.40), Connaught Price, visit Hindu Mahasabha Bhawan, Mandir Marg, to meet Karkare.

18th January 1948

Gandhi ends fast.

Apte, Nathuram and Karkare visit Birla House to see layout plan of the lawn and Servant's Quarters; attend Gandhi's prayer meeting; finalize plan of action.

19th January 1948

Gopal Godse, brother of Nathuram, arrives in Delhi from Poona with another .38 revolver; yet to decide about the weapon.

Badge and Shankar arrive Delhi with explosives.

20th January 1948

Apte takes Badge and Shankar to Birla House to show Room No.3, Servant's Quarters. Badge to shoot Gandhi from window of this room, Madanlal to light a bomb, Shankar to throw grenades. Deicde to use .38 revolver.

Birla House: 4 p.m., Nathuram, Apte, Madanlal, Karkare, Gopal, Badge and Shankar reach Birla House; Madanlal places the bomb; Badge sees a one-eyed man outside Room No.3, a bad omen, decides to abandon his plan to shoot.

Birla House: 5 p.m., Prayer meeting starts; Madanlal gets the signal from Apte; lights the bomb; Badge doesn't shoot Gandhi; Madanlal arrested by Delhi Police.

Apte and Nathuram check out of Hotel Marina; to not leave behind any trail, board a train for Kanpur.

21st January 1948

Gopal Godse leaves Delhi.

22nd January 1948

Karkare arranges for a lawyer for Madanlal in Delhi, leaves for Bombay.

23rd January 1948

Nathuram and Apte reach Bombay from Kanpur, via Jhansi.

24th January 1948

Nathuram and Apte check into Hotel Elphiston Annexe, Bombay; make a new plan; Nathuram decides to shoot Gandhi without anyone's help.

27th January 1948

Bombay: Nathuram and Apte take a flight to Delhi, under false names - D.Narain Rao and N.Vinayak Rao; Karkare decides to be with Nathuram and Apte in Delhi.

From Delhi, Nathuram and Apte catch the Delhi-Bombay Express for Gwalior and meet Sadashiv Parchure, secretary of the Hindu Mahasabha, for a good dependable weapon.

28th January 1948

Parchure helps them get the weapon, the 9 mm Beretta.

29th January 1948

Nathuram and Apte return to Delhi; book a retiring-room at Old Delhi railway station.

30th January 1948

Nathuram, Apte and karkare go to the woods behind the Birla Temple, Mandir Marg for target practice.

4.15 p.m.: Nathuram leaves for Birla House; Karkare and Apte leave minutes later.

Birla House: At 5.10 p.m. Gandhi leaves room; walking briskly he reaches the prayer ground.

Gandhi greets crowd; Nathuram folds his hands and says 'Namaste'; pushing aside one of the girls walking with Gandhi, he shoots the Mahatma; surrenders to the police; taken to Tughlak Road Police Station.

31st January 1948

Badge arrested in Poona, becomes approver.

2nd February 1948

Apte and Karkare reach Bombay; stay at Sea Green Hotel (North).

5th February 1948

Gopal Godse arrested in Poona.

13th February 1948

Apte and Karkare arrested from Pyrke's Apollo Hotel, Bombay.

22nd June 1948

The trial commences in a Special Court at Red Fort, before Judge Atma Charan.

6th November 1948

Examination of the witnesses and recording of their evidence conclude.

10th February 1949

Court Pronounces its judgement: death sentence for Nathuram and Apte; life imprisonment for Karkare, Madanlal, Gopal, Shankar and Parchure; and pardon for Badge, the approver.

2nd May 1949

The hearing begins in the appeal court of Justice G.D.Khosla, Justice Acchruram, and Justice Bhandari.

21st June 1949

Appeal court confirms the judgement.

15th November 1949

Nathuram Godse and Narayan Apte hanged till dead in Ambala prison.